“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is the probable reason why so few engage in it.”
Those words are often attributed to Henry Ford. They remind me of something I have learned over nearly three decades of coaching: One of the greatest gifts we can give a young person is the ability to think through a challenge.
In baseball, we spend a lot of time teaching players how to throw, field, run and hit. Those skills matter. But how much time do we spend helping them understand what they are thinking and feeling when the game gets hard?
What is going through a player’s mind after he strikes out?
How does he respond when he makes an error?
What does he do when he is prepared but does not get the opportunity he hoped for?
His answers matter on the field. They matter even more in life.
Thinking is a skill
Thinking is the process of taking in information, asking questions, considering choices and deciding what to do next.
It sounds simple, but it takes practice. Thinking can be hard when a young person feels pressure, fear, frustration or uncertainty. It can be even harder when he has become accustomed to being told exactly what to do.
As coaches and mentors, we often want to provide the answer quickly. But sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is slow down and ask a question:
- What happened?
- What were you thinking in that moment?
- What were you feeling?
- What could you do differently next time?
- Who can help you take the next step?
When we listen to the answers, we learn more about the young person. We also give him an opportunity to understand himself.
The power of counseling
Most people are familiar with coaching. Coaching helps a young person develop skills and improve performance.
Counseling can add another dimension. It makes space for listening, reflection and honest conversation about thoughts, feelings and decisions.
That does not mean every coach is a licensed mental health professional. When a young person needs professional mental health care, we should help connect him with a qualified provider. But every caring mentor can listen, ask thoughtful questions and help a young person work through a challenge.
My ability to counsel has been one of the reasons I have been successful as a coach for nearly three decades. I have learned that developing a player requires more than correcting his mechanics. I need to understand the person behind the performance.
When a boy knows someone cares enough to listen, he is more likely to share what is really happening. That gives us a better opportunity to help him make an adjustment and move forward.
Why this matters in Atlanta
This conversation matters deeply to me because of the young Black boys we serve in Atlanta.
Research on economic mobility has ranked metro Atlanta 50th among 50 major metropolitan areas for upward mobility among children from low income families. That ranking reflects the experiences of a particular generation studied, and it should challenge all of us to create more opportunity for the next one.
An earlier analysis estimated that about 4% of metro Atlanta residents born into families at the bottom tenth of the income distribution reached the top fifth as adults. That figure describes a specific measure of mobility; it does not mean that only 4% escape poverty.
Our boys’ potential is not the problem. Too many face barriers to the relationships, resources and opportunities that help young people thrive.
Teaching them to think will not remove those barriers by itself. We also need strong schools, safe communities, employment pathways, meaningful connections and adults willing to invest in their futures. Mentorship can help boys prepare for opportunities and help connect them to those opportunities.
From inputs to impact
If we want mentorship to change lives, we have to be clear about what we are putting in and what we hope will come out.
Inputs are what we invest. These include caring mentors, coaches, counseling, time, facilities, funding and relationships.
Outputs are what we do. These include the number of practices, mentoring conversations, counseling sessions, workshops and young people served.
Outcomes are the changes we want to see. A young man becomes better able to manage his emotions, ask for help, make decisions, complete school or pursue a career opportunity.
Impact is the lasting difference. More young men become gainfully employed, civically engaged and committed to giving back. Their families and communities benefit from greater opportunity over time.
For example, a mentor might meet regularly with a player and help him reflect after difficult situations. Those meetings are an output. The player learning to pause, ask for help and make a thoughtful decision is an outcome. The lasting difference comes as he applies those skills, gains access to opportunity and builds a life that strengthens his community.
We should celebrate participation, but we cannot stop there. We must ask whether the young people we serve are developing and whether those changes are helping them reach the opportunities they deserve.
A call to coaches and mentors
To every coach and mentor: The next time a young person makes a mistake, resist the urge to immediately give him the answer.
Ask him what he saw. Ask him what he felt. Ask him what he thinks he should do next.
Then listen.
We cannot promise that one conversation will change a life. But consistent relationships, thoughtful questions and access to opportunity can help a young person see possibilities and prepare to pursue them.
Our Black boys deserve coaches who develop their skills, mentors who care about their lives and adults who help them learn to think.
When we invest in the whole young person, we create a better chance for the outcomes our boys need and the impact our city deserves.
Sources
- Quote Investigator, “Thinking Is the Hardest Work There Is, which Is the Probable Reason Why So Few Engage in It”.
- Opportunity Insights, “Changing Opportunity: Sociological Mechanisms Underlying Growing Class Gaps and Shrinking Race Gaps in Economic Mobility”, 2024.
- Axios Atlanta, “Metro Atlanta’s stubborn economic mobility issues persist, a new study says”, 2024.
- Atlanta Regional Commission, “Equity Special Feature: Economic Mobility and Education”, for the earlier 4% estimate.