Practice, practice, practice

In my recent work, I have been working with clients surrounding leaps of faith; diving into the unknown and finding out something new that you would have never found in the safety of your current surroundings. It is a method of putting yourself in a vulnerable position, one of uncertainty, to find the edge of what you know and push beyond it. 

In the olden days, they used to print on the uncharted waters of maps 'Here there be dragons.'

The same is true for our lives. We are used to a daily work routine - a way of operating. It's comfortable. It breeds a complacency. For many of us, we would rather deal with small set backs and be comfortable, then to stretch and find a new opportunity. 

Part of my work involves giving participants the physical understanding and the physical experience of taking a leap of faith. We practice doing it in controlled ways, so that we can explore our tendencies to not want to rock the boat. We can then see the decisions in a new light, and see how we might be sabotaging our future by keeping the next big thing from changing everything we know and love. A desire to change causes self-reflection, it creates introspection. Couple this physical training with an intellectual understanding like Franklin's decision making process, and you have a physical and intellectual practice to follow for decisions.

As I work to change the dynamic of my work - I look at the dysfunctions of my organization and see that they reflect my personal dysfunctions. Since I built the organization, I have to face my own personal demons and be willing to slay them to find the next step.

And here there be dragons.

That small feeling - the 'pit of your stomach oh-my-god-what-am-I-going-to-do' feeling is a chemical fight or flight response that we, as humans, have hard wired into our brains. It is based on protecting ourselves from the Sabertooth tiger that might attack us. It is the vestige of an older world, that still affects us now. How can we begin to reframe that feeling - that fear - into excitement and wonder? Into the joy of finding outcome thing new? Can we look at the uncharted waters and think 'wow, I wonder what a dragon looks like? let's find out!'

I believe by linking the intellectual process with a physical practice, we an alter the fear factor of decisions. After that, we have to reinforce the practice with more repetition. Practice does make perfect. And reflection on the practice gives self realization.

Here there be dragons.

For more information on Andrew's work, click here.