What can a young man in his twenties offer for Three For Thursday? After all, he’s not had much time to live and have the kinds of experiences necessary to be a “real” Three For Thursday contributor, right? Wrong. Turns out that age isn’t the only critical factor in terms of life experience.
I first interacted with Harris Fanaroff close to a decade ago, when I was co-director of a program that helped high school boys who wanted to play baseball in college. Harris worked with one of my colleagues, and he was clearly going to be playing ball at a higher level than most of the other boys. In fact, Harris was drafted by the Washington Nationals right out of high school as a submarining left-handed pitcher who could throw hard with a ton of movement. Instead of trying to go directly to the pros, Harris decided to head to Lehigh University to play ball there. While at Lehigh, Harris got the “yips” and, though he had no discernible physical issues, he lost the ability to throw a baseball, thereby ending his baseball career. He decided to hang up his cleats in 2012 and dealt with years of identity issues until he was introduced to the field of corporate coaching. Since having a life-changing experience with an executive career coach of his own, Harris has received a certificate in Leadership Coaching for Organizational Performance from American University, and he is making it his mission to help people who have lost their identity regain confidence and live happier and more fulfilled lives.
Harris is currently a corporate coach and account manager at EAB in Washington, DC. His Three For Thursday follow.
Embrace Tough Moments
I believe we are best able to make the world better when we are vulnerable. It’s really hard for most people to share what’s difficult for them. But everyone is struggling with something. If you are willing to share your difficulties, you will grow. It may not feel natural, but sharing our struggles allows us to make wonderful human connections. I learned this the hard way when I suddenly “forgot” how to pitch. It took me a while to open up about this and to demonstrate my vulnerability, but the long-term benefits of doing so have been immense.
Bring the Energy That You Want to Be Known For
We decide how we show up. It’s up to us every time we walk into a room or get on the phone. I believe that we must always control the “controllables.” We get to set the tone the minute we begin each interaction.
Relationships Are Everything
I love meeting new people. You never know how you can impact someone else’s life or what doors might open. You can’t script it up ahead of time. It’s all about connecting with people. Whether it’s family, friends, or strangers who become friends, relationships are everything!
One For the Road. . . Don’t be afraid to fail. We are our own harshest critics. Anyone who ever achieved anything great has failed, likely more than once. Success is that much more enjoyable when you achieve it after overcoming failures.
How about you? What are your Three For Thursday? I’m looking for people who are willing to share their life wisdom. Please email me at bob@epi.coach if you’d like to be interviewed for a future Three For Thursday blog.
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