Passion Killer ...

Welcome to the Monday memo ... well I had this grand plan of releasing a Monday memo each week to you, and yesterday I got stuck doing advanced passenger information for our team travelling to the Netherlands on Saturday (it always takes longer than expected), so... here it is on a Tuesday ??

I wanted to share something I’ve noticed over countless conversations with judo coaches… and it’s something that I know hits close to home.

Coaches often feel… well,?underappreciated.

I’m not talking about the pats on the back or the “thank you” after class.

I’m talking about a genuine feeling of imbalance.

The kind that eats at you after another late night answering messages from parents, planning for the next competition, or driving hours to support a child at a tournament.

And most of these coaches aren’t doing it as a?full-time?profession.

They’re squeezing it in around a “real” job, sacrificing evenings and weekends, and sometimes even taking money out of their own pockets to fund camps, tournaments, and events.

But why do they do it?

Because they love the sport.

Because they believe in the children they coach.

Because there’s something deeply fulfilling about being part of someone’s journey, about being that figure who supports, guides, and challenges.

But there’s a dark side to this dedication:?no fair exchange.

Parents want more. And why wouldn’t they?

They see their child progressing and assume it’s reasonable to reach out “just for a quick question” or to ask if their child can have extra support outside regular class hours.

And before you know it, your “side passion” is consuming every spare minute.

Your family time, your evenings, and your weekends are gone. All in the name of?“helping out.”

Now, here’s where things get uncomfortable. That feeling of imbalance? That frustration? It’s usually rooted in one simple fact:?you’re not charging enough.

Here’s the brutal truth: when you undercharge, people undervalue.

They start to see your time as an endless well they can dip into.

And once again why wouldn’t they?

If you’re practically giving away your time, effort, and expertise, it creates an expectation.

You become “the coach who’s always available.”

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you should become unreachable or lose the passion that got you here.

But there’s got to be a balance—a fair exchange.

You’re not just a coach; you’re an expert, a mentor, a guide. And that value needs to be reflected in what you charge.

Think about it. If you were charging what you’re worth, maybe you wouldn’t need the “real” job on the side.

Maybe you could make coaching your career, not just a passion project. And maybe—just maybe—you’d find that people respect your time and boundaries a little bit more.

So, here’s my challenge for you this week: take a hard look at what you’re charging.

If you feel underappreciated or stretched thin, it’s not because you’re not doing enough—it’s because you’re doing too much for too little.

This is the kind of shift we’re making in Dojo LaunchPad—helping coaches see the true value of what they offer and build a sustainable business around it.?

It’s time for judo coaches to get paid for the value they bring.

And it’s time to break the cycle of being overworked and underappreciated.

To fair exchanges and a balanced life,

Vince

P.S. Without coaches just like you there would be no judo clubs so do not let burnout or fatigue kill your passion.