Alone, together
This week I had the pleasure of layering coaching sessions with three swimmers; the intersections colored each person’s learning in new shades and launched them up the spiral of learning. But it wasn’t without reservations. From me: will they feel like they’re getting the same benefit as they would one on one? What if they don’t like each other? And I imagine, for them: each had to give up valuable one-on-one time and allow group dynamics. It was a risk.
Do you prefer doing things on your own?
I do. In the quiet of solo practice or working on a project on my own, I can focus. I can feel like I’m “getting it,” that I understand all the pieces. The path is clear because there’s no resistance.
But here’s what I’m realizing: it’s often in the company of others that I remember what I’ve been forgetting. Sometimes, another person’s perspective holds the missing piece. But I have to set aside my ego. I have to admit that I might have something to learn from others.
Sometimes I catch myself making assumptions about people based on how they look or talk, but I need to let them have a say. I need to listen—really listen—instead of just waiting for my turn to speak.
I’m blind to my blind spots and I won’t see them unless I get out of my own way.
Fortunately, water is a great equalizer. Nearly naked and particularly vulnerable, this truth emerges on a long swim. Yes, it’s a solitary act—you against the water, stroke after stroke. But no marathon swim is ever truly solo. I need a team: a pilot to steer the boat, crew to feed me. The shared humanity of working together toward a goal is incredibly rewarding.
Trusting others hasn’t always come easily. It wasn’t until I surrendered to my crew—admitted that I don’t know enough, I don’t have the perspective, nor do I have all the answers—that I realized how powerful it is to lean on others.
Which reminds me that learning isn’t just about what I know—it’s about what we discover together. Solo practice builds our foundation and group learning stretches us further than we thought possible.
Maybe the end of one-on-one and the beginning of group learning isn’t a line at all, but a circle—one feeding the other.
Group coaching doesn’t replace solo practice or one-on-one work—it’s a complement. When we practice together, share perspectives, we carry home lessons that stick in a way they simply don’t when we’re alone.
Join me in small groups this month:
- Intro to Efficient Swimming (Rogue X) — Wednesdays, 12–1 pm, starting Wednesday, October 1st. Reply “Rogue X” for details.
- Small-Group Backyard Sessions — I’m considering the middle two weekends of October. Reply “Backyard” if you’d like a spot.
- SwimBound — Ready to change your relationship with swimming and how you live? Early-bird pricing ends Oct 1st and there are just a few spots left. Reply “SwimBound” to find a time to chat.
Swimming alongside you,
Shannon
