“Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent…” – Proverbs 17:28
The modern day version of this is “Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt!”
So why am I so bent on overcoming silence? I wrestled with this idea, since seeing a counselor seems to contradict this age-old wisdom. What I realized was it doesn’t say “a fool becomes wise if he keeps silent…”
If my goal is to appear wise, then silence could well be the ticket. However, according to the scripture, silence may not help me if my goal is to become wise.
Strong or Silent – you can’t be both is a challenge. That’s why I developed a specific coaching approach for men. They have to get ready for the experience, to have clear expectations of what is—and what it is not. Let’s start with the “not”.
SOS Men’s Coaching is not a place where you’ll feel ashamed that you are a man. You won’t beat yourself up over stupid mistakes, or make excuses for them. You won’t blame your wife, your parents, your genes, your government—or your little league baseball coach for stupid mistakes you’ve made.
SOS Men’s Coaching is a place where you can remove your mask and be authentic; taking off as many, or as few as you want. It’s a place where you own your mistakes and learn from them. It’s a place where you’ll experience negative emotions, learn how to identify what you’re feeling, why you’re feeling them, and what to do about them.
It’s a place where you’ll set goals that are realistic and purposeful; and you’ll measure your thoughts, attitudes and actions by how well they support your goals.
Here’s my confession. I’m more comfortable with silence than I am with engaging, even when it’s a noble cause. My fear is that men will sign up for coaching and expect that this professional will have all the answers. Well, I don’t have all the answers, but I do have a conviction that when we engage with honesty and courage, growth is inevitable.
If you are a man whose marriage is in trouble or you are struggling with life issues, depression or sexual integrity I believe breaking your silence can help. Let’s get started!
You can do this!
