This was something my father and grandfather used to tell me. Hell, I used to hear it in school and on TV. It is a pervasive and incredibly dismissive statement: “Those who can’t do, teach.” It’s like a Trojan horse computer virus. You hear it, let your guard down, and it sneaks in. Then, when you try to access principles or attributes, it opens and crashes the system, stalling your progress.

I remember watching a video of Jordan Palmer, a former NFL quarterback who turned into an extremely sought-after draft preparation expert and QB coach. You might be asking, what does this have to do with “Those who can’t do, teach?” For me, it’s about the orientation to perceived failure. I say perceived because I am coming to understand that failure is not determined by anyone but me or you.

Jordan Palmer threw 18 passes in his NFL career. By all standards used to measure success, he would be considered a failure. Yet, that isn’t how he saw things. He took all the knowledge he accumulated from dozens of starting QBs and turned that knowledge loose to teach and pour into graduating college football players entering the NFL draft or existing QBs needing skill improvement. He is now one of the most sought-after experts in his field.

What does all of this have to do with you and me? I am sitting here thinking about what has been holding me, or you, back from success. For me, it was a blind spot. I did not see or know that this toxic thought was sitting dormant until I had to access the will to achieve something. Could it be that we bought into this idea? Could it be that I viewed my lack of perceived success as an entrepreneur or a football player or whatever else you might have “failed” at, and so you self-relegated and saw the only place you have is to teach or coach, which is seen as a lesser position?

What if you were designed to teach or coach? What if you see the world differently and your gifts are to be used so that others might achieve, and you help them to discover and uncover their gifts? Bill Belichick is widely considered to be one of the greatest coaches of all time. Did you know football was not his first love and he never played at a major college or in the NFL? Yet, his skill set has propelled hundreds to reach their goals.

There are hundreds of examples, both men and women, who have taken their skills and applied them to coaching and leaving a mark. So, the next time someone mentions this phrase, ask how you can take what you know to make humanity better.

Call to Action:

Reflect on your own journey. Are there areas where you’ve felt like a failure? Consider how you can transform that perceived failure into a strength. Embrace your unique perspective and skills, and think about how you can use them to teach, coach, and uplift others. Share your story, inspire someone today, and let’s redefine what it means to succeed together.