I don’t cry much. In fact, screaming will be rare

“I don’t cry much. Screaming even becomes rare. When I get angry, I usually quiet books speak at the same volume as I do now. And if I get really angry…I whisper Voice at this level won’t get your attention and you feel you need someone to yell at you to correct you or to motivate you, then we probably need to find another team for you so you can do your best.” – Tony Dungy

How often do you hear a quote like that from a coach… and a football coach at that?! Many of us grew up with or were coached by old-school trainers… and “quiet” wouldn’t be a word used to describe most of them. But in Tony Dungy’s Quiet Strength, he talks about his methods and how those techniques ultimately got him a Super Bowl.

The Summary: I think the title of this book could have been “Quiet Confidence”. Think of the inner strength and confidence Dungy must have had in himself and his way of doing things that allowed him to go against tradition and coach football on his own terms. What a great lesson we must learn! Having faith in your calling as a coach when the results are not what you want them to be. Having confidence in your coaching style and philosophy when others tell you that you cannot be successful with your methods. This book chronicles Dungy’s career from player to Super Bowl champion… and all the ups and downs in between. But the one thing that runs throughout the book is his commitment to his coaching style.

Recommended for:

All trainers. We put ourselves in such imbalances during our seasons…in terms of our family time, our diet, our sleeping habits. I think to a certain extent we thrive in situations like this… but only in the short term. However, the idea of this book is that our coaching life should not be separate from our faith, from our families, from who we are as human beings. If you’re looking for a book that sets example after example of someone living a life of integrity (often when they haven’t been outwardly rewarded for doing so), you’ll enjoy Quiet Strength.

Not recommended for:

Dungy makes no apologies for his Christian faith, and that’s a strong theme running through this book. If you find that offensive, this book is probably not for you.

So if you’re still worried about a gift for that trainer in your life (Christmas is next week, Handmade Quiet Books in USA and UK you know), this would be a welcome package under the tree.