Why Coddling is the Kindest Way to Harm Another Person
If you’ve been coddled, you know this is true.
They call David Goggins the toughest man on Earth. He had something to say about coddling in his acceptance speech for the VFW Americanism award.
Teary-eyed, his voice started breaking when he thanked his mom. He said:
I’d like to thank my mom, who never picked me up when I fell. She taught me how to get up when I was knocked down.
What did she give him by letting him stand up on his own? And what gets taken away when you coddle someone?
Defining Coddling
Coddling is defined as “treating someone in an indulgent or overprotective way.”
When you love something, you want to protect it at all costs. This is a good and natural impulse.
And if you love a person, seeing them hurt could be the worse thing you ever experience.
To some, this means that no matter the situation, they need your help. Do not let them experience even one second of hurt or discomfort. Like Axel Rose said: “I’d hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain.”
There are one thousand ways to coddle a person, but they all start with you assuming a position of power…
