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Happiness is not a reward - it is a consequence. Suffering is not a punishment - it is a result.  - Robert Green Ingersoll

We could all use a little more happiness in our lives, some days it seems like that is doubly true on the practice field…  That’s why, whenever I need an affirmation that happiness at work - and the rest of my life - is more than a pipe dream, I turn to the Chief Happiness Officer blog.  He usually has posts describing why happiness leads to better productivity and what common management mistakes are productivity killers.  Always an interesting read, especially when you see the familiar in the productivity killers…

Today he had a recap of his recent ski vacation.  He went snow boarding in the Alps (that will get anyone happy…).  He’s been snowboarding for a few years, but he’s still learning the tricks.  His approach to learning how to snowboard has a lot to say about how we, as coaches, can make practice more perfect.

There were two points I want to pull out and call your attention to.

8: Learn from people who like what they do
The instructor who taught me obviously enjoyed both snowboard and teaching. You learn much faster when things are taught with passion.

9: Enjoy your mistakes
I looooove falling on my board. The more spectacular the fall the better. You can’t really learn if you fear failure. Very little learning happens without mistakes - or when you fear making them.

Said from the other side of the whistle, be passionate and encourage failure.  Passion is contagious and failure is the best teacher.