Elliot Cox

M.A. Sport & Performance Psychology | Certified Mental Performance Consultant | MiLB Mental Performance Coordinator | ἢ τὰν ἢ ἐπὶ τᾶς

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

A piece from one of my favorite books, The Alchemist. A good message I believe everyone could benefit seeing.

[Peoria Chiefs @peoriachiefs]

Blake, Patrick, Jack and Cameron spent time visiting some incredible kids at OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois this morning, sharing smiles, stories, and a little joy! Grateful for the opportunity!

[Jarvis 🐛 @SpiveeWorks]

A rare instance of confusing the territory for the map.

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

Vincent van Gogh on fear:

“Fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm fearsome, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore. They leave that wisdom to those to whom it appeals. When the storm comes-when night falls—what's worse: the danger or the fear of danger? Give me reality, the danger itself.”

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

Coaching is very similar to a wedding ceremony.

The father of the bride walks the daughter he has shaped, instilled with values, and empowered to follow her dreams down the aisle. He hands her to the groom with the faith that he will take care of her, support her, and add value to her life, then sits down to watch.

Parents, having shaped their children, instilled values, and empowered to follow their dreams, hand them to a coach with the faith that the coach will take care of them, support them, and add value to their lives, then sits down to watch.

Treat coaching with that level of responsibility.

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

True commitment isn’t a measure of the convenient moments, but a measure of the things you’re willing to sacrifice.

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

Curiosity is a superpower, but one that is hard to fabricate. It is not something we can lead to where we want it to go, it’s something that leads us.

If you feel a sense of curiosity, chase it as far as you can.

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

High performance can be boiled down to thinking about the right thing at the right time.

Build the competence to know what to think, and the presences to be able to think it when you need to.

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

Reverse Charisma:

The act of bringing someone else’s true self out. Making THEM the most interesting person in the room, not yourself.

Be curious, ask questions, set people up to shine.

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

When leading and building a team, trust, innovation, and growth are not inputs to the system, they are outputs created by the environment you build.

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

C.S. Lewis on the compounding nature of both good and evil:

“Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of.”

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

Pretending your problems aren’t there is a sure fire way to make them bigger than they are.

Don’t think of a purple elephant.

I bet you a good amount of money that you did.

Acknowledge that the problems are there, make a plan of attack that focuses on the controllable aspects within said problem, and pour your time, energy, and attention into the execution of that plan.

You’ll find that the elephant may still be there, but it’s the size of a mouse and you’re able to work around it.

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

“A man thinks he can fly, but is afraid to jump.

A poor friend pushes him from behind, a good friend jumps with.”

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

Van Gough on adversity:

“If you hear a voice that says do not paint, by all means paint and that voice will be silence.”

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

It’s not enough to engage the heads of the people you lead. Explaining the what, why, and how of decisions are necessary, but not sufficient.

You must engage the head AND the heart.

Make it appealing, get their fingerprints all over it, empower autonomy, extend trust. All ways to get the heart involved, because when it is, magic happens.

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

people often don’t remember what you say, rarely remember what you do, but almost always remember how you made them feel.

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

The goal is never to eliminate the negative voice in our heads. Like a wet bar of soap, the harder you squeeze, the harder it is to handle.

Instead, the goal is to be flexible in the face of it. Debate with yourself, shift your attention and focus to the task in front of you, connect with the present moment through the senses, or use someone else as a distraction.

It’s not a fight we are looking for, it’s a dance.

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

Hunt for the little moments in your day. Instead of mindlessly moving from task to task, search for a small memorable moment that you could tell a story about.

Ask yourself: what is the moment I’m going to experience today?

[Elliot Cox @EC5_Era]

If you have feedback for someone you work with (whether that’s above, below, or lateral), you have a responsibility to deliver it.

Sitting on feedback is like watching that person drown while holding a life jacket on the boat.

It’s challenging, difficulty, and often uncomfortable, but the important part is that it gets delivered.