Confession time:
Last week I was at the gym, in the middle of a long, fatiguing workout. Our coach told me to change something I was doing so I could improve my performance.
I said “Okay.”
In that split second after I said it, I realized that I almost never do that—just say okay and go do it. My default behavior is to make a joke, ask a question, resist, if only for a moment. But maybe because I was tired and frustrated, and because I trust my coach—I just said “okay,” and turned to do what he said.
Why does this matter? What difference does it make if I joke around, and shouldn’t I ask questions?
It matters because it’s a behavior that shows I’m resistant to embracing the feedback. I’m not taking in the coaching and working on integrating it; I’m playing around. Anything I say other than “okay” is just me making excuses.
It was a real epiphany, and I’ve started to notice other places in my life when I will be better served to simply listen, take it in, and say “okay.” Don’t get quippy, don’t make a joke at my own expense, don’t talk. Just do the work.
