"You Don't Know What It Feels Like"

Adults hear children say, "you don't know what it feels like." That might be about losing a friend, not getting to do something you want ("I really want to go to that concert"), or not having the playing time you want.

After World War II, Viktor Frankl wrote Man's Search for Meaning. Frankl had suffered six years in Nazi death camps. The first half of the book revealed life in a death camp and the second was a message of hope, how some people got through it.

Frankl extended mentor Sigmund Freud concepts about life to include navigating relationships, work, and suffering. He knew that every person's experience includes suffering, although few to the extent of living in Auschwitz or Dachau.

Strength and conditioning are not suffering; they're part of preparation for competition. Performing poorly in a game happens to everyone. Sitting on the bench might feel like suffering to some. Watching our child sit can feel like suffering. "We've invested so much in her success," and yet she's on the bench.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos said that going into space helped give him perspective on the human condition. Spending billions on a pet project helped him understand human suffering, hunger, and pain? 

Here's a quote from Man's Search for Meaning: 

The meaning of life is to help others find the meaning of theirs. - Viktor Frankl

Part of coaching includes helping young people mature, build character, and understand teamwork. It demands shared vision, shared sacrifice, and sometimes shared suffering. Don't mistake disappointment for suffering. 

Lagniappe. Keep dreaming.