​

Nate Baker's Newsletter #100

"The coaching education newsletter for those dedicated to helping their people pursue their potential."

The Culture Rep

Essential Reading for All Developers

20 Years of Development Wisdom Summarized in 1 Sentence

December 20, 2024 | Read time: 4 minutes

Note: Be sure to claim your free gift 🎁 at the end of this article!

I’ve been writing about development every day and sharing it publicly for 2 years.

And I’ve been obsessing about it for more than 20 years.

Each post, article, free course, community, and newsletter is built around explaining…

What development truly is.

I wanted to share a framework for becoming the coach we never had. With each piece of writing, I aimed to further define what development truly is. To take something misunderstood and misconstrued and transform it into a working philosophy that could impact coaching education forever.

That could impact our sport forever.

That could provide players an upbringing in the game that I never had but intuitively knew was possible.

But after taking the past few days to reflect on the past few years, I was reminded that the philosophy is much bigger than that. Development is a multi-faceted endeavor that will keep me writing for years to come, but all I could think about was this question:

Can development be distilled into a single sentence or one essential piece of advice?

I think it can…

And this is what I can up with:

You must fight like hell to stay on your path.

This is the secret to unlocking your potential as a coach. It’s also the best advice for living a worthwhile life because development is a game that runs parallel to anything we hold dear:

• Marriage
• Parenthood
• Business
• Friendship
• Spirituality
• Or Any Personal Passion

The Developer’s Way is not just a coaching philosophy…

It’s a life philosophy.

But what does it really mean “to fight like hell to stay on your path”?

Here are 8 ways to better grasp (and put into action) this core truth of development:

1. The Real Win-Loss Record

The only time you lose is when you choose to stop pursuing your potential.

You win by staying in the game. By taking the next best step. All the traditional wins come as a byproduct of this pursuit.

If you are constantly in pursuit of your best self, you never really lose.

2. The Only Games That Matter

The games that matter most are the ones you can keep playing your entire life.

Development is an infinite game that can augment any game in which we choose to participate. There is never an endpoint, which means there is always new space to explore. With that, there are always new learnings to pursue and small wins to celebrate.

Development gives coaching (and life itself) meaning.

3. A Student of the Game (Life-long Learner)

Staying on your path requires the humility to understand there is always something more to learn.

The Developer has a learning flywheel that builds momentum with every push. It doesn’t just add knowledge; it compounds it. With every problem you solve and every intuition you pursue, you become an exponentially better version of yourself.

Every current gap in your knowledge provides a next step toward your potential.

4. Artistry Is Your Gift

Artistry is the act of sharing your specific knowledge to inspire growth in others, in a way only you can.

This cannot be copied or faked. Coaching is a creative act that asks you to formulate your best solution at any given time to meet the specificity of the people in front of you. To create the conditions for them to take their next step toward their potential.

Your job isn’t to become the next Pep Guardiola; it’s to bring your unique vision to life as only you can.

5. Courage to Slay the Dragons

This is the harder path.

Some people spend their lives chasing shortcuts, only to end up with nothing more than a booby prize for their efforts and a lot of egg on their face. The main reason: they aren’t willing to slay the dragons in front of them. They didn’t want to deal with the noise, adversity, or challenge, but it’s these pain points that light the way to our potential.

Staying on your path requires a willingness (and bravery) to slay the dragons.

6. Staying on Your Path is an Act of Service

When you stay true to your path, it helps others do the same.

The journey toward your potential is not a selfish one—it’s an act of service. Because when you live your life with development as your compass, it sharpens those in your environment. You become a lighthouse that shows others a better way.

By staying on your path, you change the lives of others.

7. The Pursuit of Potential Is Everything

For me, it’s what gives life meaning.

This is the real value of sport. Sport provides the platform, and development provides a path forward. And we are the only true outcome of this pursuit.

Staying on our path means we can be (and achieve) anything.

8. Faith Over Fear

Your toughest opponent will always be fear.

Committing to your path, no matter the circumstance, is an act of faith. When you feel like you don’t have it, aren’t good enough, or lack what it takes—and still take your next step—you don’t just grow; you ascend to a higher plane.

As The Killers famously sang, “If you can hold on… hold on.”

Final Words

Maybe not what you expected.

But two-plus years of writing (and 20 years of thinking about it) has led me to the main truth of development:

You must stay on your path.

In whatever infinite game(s) we choose to play, development is the ultimate companion. And that doesn’t mean you can’t pivot or go down to the bottom of the mountain to start anew. It doesn’t even mean you have to coach…

It only means that we fight like hell to take our next step, whatever that may be.

That is The Developer’s Way.

---

Injury Time (My Gift 🎁 to You)

A Chance to Connect Before the Final Whistle

This is the 100th edition of Nate Baker's Newsletter!

I’m so grateful for the opportunity to write and share ideas each week—articles and resources designed to help any coach move a little closer to their potential...

And help their players do the same.

To celebrate this milestone and in the spirit of the holidays, I wanted to offer you a gift. No strings attached—just a resource you can keep close and reference whenever needed.

Your Gift:

​An archive of every article and newsletter I’ve written the past 2 years—100 newsletters and 143 articles—all in one convenient place.

​This Notion template is yours to bookmark, providing an easily searchable resource to help you navigate your next step whenever the need arises.

Thank you again for being part of this journey.

I can’t wait to write the next 100 editions.

If you know friends, colleagues, or other Developers who would find value in this newsletter, please forward this special edition with them and have them register for free at this link.​

​

Happy Holidays!

As always, have a great weekend, and good luck with your next step.

​

To Development,

Nate Baker

Founder of The Developer’s Way​
​
P.S. Whenever you are ready, there is 1 more way I can help you👇:

​

​Nate Baker's Newsletter by The Developer's Way

12530 Fairwood Parkway Suite 102 PMB 1096, BOWIE, MD 20720

​Unsubscribe | Update your profile​