When Correction Hits Differently

There’s this thing my coach used to do, where he would directly call me out on my missteps — harsh, blunt, unapologetic. I remember I used to get so pissed about it, not because what he was saying was wrong, but because my defensive self couldn’t handle the uncomfortable truth.

Over time, I started getting used to it. I worked a bit on my defensiveness and could sit with almost any form of correction.

Recently, I realised that oga has changed his mode of communicating missteps. Now, he gives assignments that lead me to see the point he wants to make, and I’ll be completely honest, it’s a pretty hard pill to swallow.

Let me use an example to better explain my point:

Before, if I made a mistake, I’d go through a session of scolding, “This is wrong…” yada yada. Now, if I cross a line, there’s no scolding, just an assignment and midway through doing it I’m like, “Damn! I see what you did there.”

Like instead of calling someone foolish, you simply tell them to read a chapter of Proverbs that literally calls someone a fool. Same point, just communicated differently, and trust me, the latter slaps harder, like a punch in the oesophagus.

Dearest reader, how do you handle correction?

The book of Proverbs is one of my favourites because of its blunt confrontation. Not sugar-coated truths, just the real deal.

#WhyMashal

@favvy_Okwans🖤.