“Worry not that no one knows of you; seek to be worth knowing.”
Confucius
I just had the pleasure of spending a week at the Southeast Regional Warrior Symposium surrounded by people worth knowing. Some of those people presented at the event, some of those people attended the event and some of those people were part of the organization and logistics of the event. Some of the people were well known and others were not. All were worth knowing.
The list of presenters included Bobby Henline, Col. Danny McKnight, , SGM (ret) Billy Waugh, Col. Pete VanAmburgh, Dr. Michael Sulick, Dr. Mike Asken, Dr. Alexis Artwohl, Chris Lawrence, Chris Ghannam, Jeff Norwitz, Jeff Chudwin, Dr. Mauricio Lynn, Pete Gould, Henk Iverson, Kevin Dillon and others. Some are true heroes. All of them are warrior scholars and all worth knowing.
The people who attended the event were equally impressive. All of them are warrior scholars and all worth knowing.
What made them worth knowing? The way they have lived and continue to live their lives. None of them have achieved what they did in life by being concerned about who knew them. None were concerned about awards, honors and accolades. They each set about to become the best they could be in their field and use that experience and expertise to help others achieve excellence in their lives.
What does this have to do with you as a trainer? Everything. I see too many trainers that are concerned with who knows them. They are concerned about dropping names of people they know or claim to know to somehow improve their status in the training world. They spend their time and energy of telling everyone who will listen how great they are.
The true warrior trainers and warrior scholars are focused on making themselves better so they can make a difference. They are not concerned about getting credit. They are focused on getting results. They are focused on their officers and making them better. Some of them will gain notoriety as a result; others will become some of the greatest trainers you have never heard of.
What is your focus? Are you so focused on making sure everyone knows you that you neglect to become worth knowing?
P.S. If you missed this event this year do not make the same mistake in 2013.
Take care.
Brian Willis