16. Spare them the dissertation

I enjoy the details. Training systems, pace relationships, why one thing connects to another. I can talk about this stuff for a while. You may have noticed.

But an athlete getting ready for a workout needs an explanation they can use: what we’re doing, why it matters, and what to pay attention to.

I owe them the thinking that makes that explanation possible. I don’t need to make them sit through all of it.

If they want the longer version, they can ask. Maybe bring lunch.

I also need to find out whether my explanation worked. Finishing a sentence isn’t the same as getting everybody on the same page.

If an athlete or assistant understands something differently, I want to hear their version. It tells me where I need to explain better.

They have many responsibilities. Decoding my intentions shouldn’t be one of them.

The same goes for anything I build, write, or explain. If it only makes sense to me, I still have work to do.