Is Your Journey Inspired by a Teacher?

In the world of "Fitness", Trainers are generally people who have found something that works for them and something they may be good at.  They may even be "gifted", but often they are not and aren't even good at what they teach!  Many Trainers are motivated primarily by money and want to succeed in their business.

They may spend a great deal of time trying to convince us that their "map or method" is the best or only approach that will guarantee our success in reaching our goals or destination.  Maybe they do have a good map, maybe they do not.  They may defend their map like a religion and criticize all other maps.

Some Trainers are worth listening to.  They have valuable information which can help us on our journey. They have acquired this information themselves over years of study and working with other Trainers or Teachers.

Teachers want to share what they have learned because they genuinely want us to succeed in our journey, as they have.  They offer us an insight on how to find our way.  They encourage and inspire us to learn, often by example.  They may be running a business, but they are not primarily motivated by compensation or recognition.

Teachers do not need to defend their map.  If they are great Teachers, their students will recognize it and want to study with them.  A great Teacher should not force his map on others or spend time criticizing other methods, but inspire students to continue on their own journey, choosing their own map.

On our journey it is helpful to have a map, but sometimes the path less traveled is the one worth exploring. We can discover more about ourselves when we are "lost" in unfamiliar territory and must figure out how to find our own way.  All that is needed is the desire and the discipline to do so.

I wish everyone would find great Teachers, not just Trainers.  There's a big difference between a Trainer who barks orders at you, and a Teacher who makes you think about what you are doing and inspires you in different ways.  I have been fortunate enough to find several great Teachers on my journey and they have inspired me to become a better "explorer" ... to think about what I want to accomplish, to try new things and challenge myself in new ways.

They have also inspired  me to become a better Teacher!

It's a life long journey ....