Scree

noun : an accumulation of loose stones or rocky debris lying on a slope or at the base of a hill or cliff.

Nature’s dominant creature

Published December 4, 2018 · All posts on Dec 4

A further unpleasant fact of life: biologists have discovered that the more complex a life form is, the quicker it goes extinct. That hapless cream-puff of the animal kingdom, the jellyfish, rather uncomplicated in form and function, has been around for 500 million years and counting. The average kick at the can, for a complex species, lasts four million years, which happens to be about how long we’ve been around.

~ David Cain from, Nature’s Dominant Creature

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This is such a wonderful kick in the complacency.

It’s taken me so much effort just to wrap my brain around the reality of the place of a human life [my life!] in the scale of things. In that effort, one thing I was tempted to fall back on was the crutch that at least a human life is part of the Grand Arc of Human History. Meanwhile, we still appear to be alone in the universe, day by day adding weight to the idea that there’s some sort of hard wall faced by intelligence during its evolution.

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Time to take action?

Published December 3, 2018 · All posts on Dec 3

The thing is, we still live in a world that’s filled with opportunity. In fact, we have more than an opportunity — we have an obligation. An obligation to spend our time doing great things. To find ideas that matter and to share them. To push ourselves and the people around us to demonstrate gratitude, insight, and inspiration. To take risks and to make the world better by being amazing.

~ Seth Godin from, Time to take action?

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Someone recently asked me about Movers Mindset. “Why is craig doing this?” and my first thought was, “Isnt this obviously a great thing?” But perhaps he wasn’t asking about the thing but rather about me. I had focused on the, “…doing this” when I perhaps I should have focused on, “…Craig doing.”

It’s simple: Movers Mindset is the community I wish I could join. To find inspiration. To find like-minded persons. To find a high-fidelity space where my ideas can be exposed to the Marketplace of Ideas.

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Entirely too much

Published December 2, 2018 · All posts on Dec 2

There is entirely too much human judging, too much flippant criticism of the acts of others. Suspicion is permitted to displace evidence, cheap shrewdness to banish charity, prejudice to masquerade as judgment. We imagine, we guess, we speculate—then pass on through the medium of indiscreet speech and idle gossip what may bring bitterness, sorrow, heartache, and injustice to others. The very ones we condemn may be battling nobly under a hail of trial and temptation where we might fall faint in the trenches or, lowering our colors, drop back in hopeless surrender.

~ William George Jordan, from Manvotional

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Written ~1909, this is 100 years old and still pitch-perfect today. The more things change the more they stay the same.

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The apocalypse is already here

Published November 30, 2018 · All posts on Nov 30

We’re made increasingly miserable because connect-the-world imperialists are unleashing machine learning on our most vulnerable and base impulses. A constant loop of refinement that prods our psyche for weak spots, and then exploits them with maximal efficiency. All in the service of selling ads for cars, shampoo, or political discord.

~ David Hansson from, «https://m.signalvnoise.com/the-ai-apocalypse-is-already-here-3bd3267cc151»

Sometimes it’s nice to stop worrying about the existential threat of the rise of the machines…

…and to instead worry about the existential threat of people doing stupid things.

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Goal visualization

Published November 29, 2018 · All posts on Nov 29

When people in the workplace confront shift, rift, zooming, and all of the other challenges that make up business life, there is one thread that runs through all of the choices that they make: Either they’re torchbearers, or they’re not.

~ Seth Godin from, And from the Russian judge…

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Something I talk often about is goal visualization. I’m a firm believer in the idea that “close” and “almost” do not pass muster. When I’m working, and when I’m helping others work, I visualize the goal: We need a door in this wall. It has to be this high, and wide enough for furniture to pass through. And the more specific the goal, the better. The door itself need not be insulated, but it should match the decor of the rooms on either side. It needs an easy to use, single-handle latch/door knob combination. When work begins, I then use the goal as a decision razor: For every choice—every choice, no exceptions—does this option or solution move me towards the goal? Is this a detour that moves me farther from the goal, but then makes it much easier later. [Otherwise known as front-loading work.] Along the way I visualize the state of the world at each step; We’ll knock a hole in the wall on Tuesday—wait, we have a dinner party on Friday… can we be done by Friday?

I’m not only imagining the goal. I’m imagining every single step along the way. What can go wrong? What can go better-than-expected, and what if anything should we do with that gain? And why did we choose this path? …maybe we should re-assess that decision and go this other way, now that we have this new intel having come this far? How important is this goal? …is this a goal to reach at all costs? …can we move the goal now that we have new knowledge? Can we shift some of the work into a next segment of work, shifting our current goal onto an intermediate point along the way to the ultimate goal.

Torch bearer.

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Jacob Carlson | Guiding Motivation & Confidence

Published November 28, 2018 · All posts on Nov 28

On Castbox.fm — Jacob Carlson | Guiding Motivation & Confidence

What are the essential principles of motivation and confidence that can be purposefully applied in coaching to develop individuals holistically?

Exploring the psychological foundations of motivation and confidence in coaching.

As we start to give people, you know, 1000s of successful experiences, when they’re faced with that one challenge, they can look back on all the successes they had—instant boost in confidence.

~ Jacob Carlson (5:04)

The conversation focuses on the principles and application of motivation and confidence in coaching, primarily through self-determination theory and self-efficacy theory. The discussion outlines how these theories can intentionally inspire personal growth in students beyond accidental outcomes. Jacob emphasizes the importance of guiding individuals rather than imposing rigid teaching methods to help them develop their capabilities holistically.

Additionally, Jacob shares insights into how past successes can be stored as a “bank” to boost confidence during challenges. By applying these concepts, the goal is to cultivate not only skilled athletes but also resilient, well-rounded individuals. The conversation also highlights the deeper purpose of coaching: developing personal character and attributes that extend beyond the immediate context of sports or activities.

Takeaways

Teaching as guidance — Effective coaching requires guiding individuals rather than imposing a fixed methodology.

Self-determination theory — Motivation is deeply connected to autonomy, competence, and relatedness, all of which can be nurtured intentionally.

Self-efficacy theory — Confidence grows when individuals can reflect on a history of successful experiences.

Holistic development — The ultimate goal is to create capable, confident people, not just skilled athletes.

Framework for application — Theories can be practically integrated into coaching to intentionally inspire growth in motivation and confidence.

Long-term impact — Focusing on character and mental resilience provides benefits far beyond the context of physical training.

Resources

Self-Determination Theory — A framework for understanding human motivation based on autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

University of Utah — The institution where the speaker is preparing for physical therapy school.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Exegesis

Published November 28, 2018 · All posts on Nov 28

The beautiful and imperishable comes into existence due to the suffering of individual perishable creatures who themselves are not beautiful, and must be reshaped to form a template from which the beautiful is printed (forged, extracted, converted). This is the terrible law of the universe. This is the basic law; it is a fact… Absolute suffering leads to — is the means to — absolute beauty.”

~ Philip K. Dick

For me, Dick’s writing is uniquely situated. I first found it as a part of my plain-vanilla interest in science fiction. It then appeared—both in the sense that I found it next, and in the sense that the movies were created next—in some popular science incarnations in movies. I fell [and remain] deeply in lust with Blade Runner(*). …and afterwards discovered Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. This is hinted at in Popova’s short brain pickings post too, but there’s something fascinating to me about how Dick went “’round the bend.”

* By the way, the second movie… words fail me. I love it so much, I feel like I’m cheating on the original.

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On blame

Published November 27, 2018 · All posts on Nov 27

What I like about that phrase, “I hate the person who invented Mondays,” is that it reveals the absurdity of one of our very human habits. We have a tendency to find some part of our environment to scold — a person or thing — whenever we run into some kind of problem in our lives. Something unpleasant happens unexpectedly, and the emotion of blame arises. We search for a source to our suffering, and fix our dislike on it and align ourselves against it, as if our sheer, bitter ill-will can transmute a part of life we hate into something we like.

~ David Cain from, Blame is Useless

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It’s important for me to distinguish between cause and blame. Cause—it seems to me—is something I can work at picking apart. It’s unlikely I’d have a full understanding of cause-and-effect in any random situation, (“why exactly did that guy just spill his beer on me,” is pretty complicated after all,) but picking at the threads of the seemingly unknowable knot-that-is-the-cause… That tends to lead me to a more thoughtful view of the world. And a more thoughtful view invariably leads me to a more optimistic view of the world.

Here’s a tangential thought as an example: Is it “Western Civilization” that is taking over the world? Or is it “Best Civilization” is taking over, and the areas we label “western” have just gotten to the ideas [all, some, or just one in particular under discussion] first? If I ditch, “who’s to blame,” for the specific changes in civilization which I dislike [think: social media] and instead ask, “what is causing that change?”… well, that changes my view of things significantly.

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Once may be your last chance

Published November 24, 2018 · All posts on Nov 24

So it stands to reason that if you want a clean house (or anything else) you have to a) put in the effort to get it there — completely there — and then b) police it for little broken windows. Things sitting out. Tasks that have been ignored once. Duties that have been ducked once. Promises that have been broken once. Twice is too late; you have to start again.

~ David Cain from, How to Fight Crime by Making Your Bed

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The broken window theory is, in fact, very much open to debate. But setting that aside for a moment.

I definitely have a habit of chasing things down to their root cause on the first instance of trouble. I’m not anywhere close to perfect! But my first instinct is to stop what I’m doing and figure out what that thing just happened. I’m an imaginer of processes. I go around trying to find one solution which fixes two things, or better yet, fixes two things by fixing one and eliminating a second.

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Epidemic

Published November 23, 2018 · All posts on Nov 23

Here’s the thing: from where I live, the world has drifted away. We aren’t precarious, we’re unnecessary. The money has gone to the top. The wages have gone to the top. The recovery has gone to the top. And what’s worst of all, everybody who matters seems basically pretty okay with that. The new bright sparks, cheerfully referred to as “Young Gods” believe themselves to be the honest winners in a new invent-or-die economy, and are busily planning to escape into space or acquire superpowers, and instead of worrying about this, the talking heads on TV tell you its all a good thing- don’t worry, the recession’s over and everything’s better now, and technology is TOTES AMAZEBALLS!

~ Anne Amnesia from, More crow than eagles

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This is a long read… wait, ok no, this is not a long read. That was just me being pessimistic and assuming people can’t read. Sorry.

This is an excellent read from a point of view very different from my own. I mean that literally: A view from a very different place than I am accustomed. I am just old enough to remember the AIDS epidemic. But I am also white and middle-class and was dutifully sheltered from it all by my pie-slice of society.

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John ‘Hedge’ Hall: Scottish viewpoint, cultures, and society

Published November 22, 2018 · All posts on Nov 22

John ‘Hedge’ Hall: Scottish viewpoint, cultures, and society

What lessons can parkour teach about culture, education, and personal development?

Craig travels to Edinburgh, Scotland to interview John “Hedge” Hall about the culture of parkour, his ideas on how Scotland views parkour, and his own personal movement journey. Hedge unpacks how different cultures and societies adapt parkour to fit them and the impact of cultural norms on their practice. Touching a bit on coaching, Hedge discusses the impact of educational environments on his students.

Parkour is shaped like the hole that people feel is missing in their society.

~ John ‘Hedge’ Hall (12:00)

The conversation explores the cultural nuances of parkour, showing how it adapts to the societal needs of different regions. It examines the contrasting competitive nature of parkour in the United States versus its integration into daily life and education in Scotland. Insights from anthropological studies are discussed, highlighting how parkour serves as a response to societal gaps, shaped by local culture.

The discussion shifts to pedagogy, with an emphasis on using parkour as a tool for inclusive education. It explains the value of teaching novices through inflexible concepts while gradually introducing flexible ones as they gain experience. Practical examples include introducing parkour into schools to foster natural play and physical development. The speaker also shares personal reflections on self-improvement and the importance of honesty in building habits, tying it to broader life lessons.

Takeaways

Parkour and culture — Parkour adapts to the unique cultural norms of each society, reflecting local values and needs.

Teaching parkour — Effective parkour education emphasizes inclusive practices, starting with simple, structured techniques.

Flexible versus inflexible concepts — Novices learn best with clear, specific instructions, while experts thrive on adaptable, abstract ideas.

Integration into education — Parkour can enhance physical education by encouraging natural play and skill development.

Habit tracking — Monitoring personal behaviors fosters self-awareness and enables lasting habit formation.

Self-improvement — Reflection and honest evaluation are essential for personal growth and effectiveness as a teacher.

Role of play — Play is critical for physical and mental development, serving as a form of practice for life skills.

Passion for teaching — Excellence in teaching requires dedication, constant learning, and adaptability.

Resources

Alex Pavlotski’s research on parkour — A global anthropological study on parkour communities and their cultural significance.

Access Parkour — The organization promoting parkour education and inclusivity in Scotland.

Headspace app — A resource for learning meditation and building mindfulness habits.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Marketing problem

Published November 22, 2018 · All posts on Nov 22

Marketing is not about trickery or even insincerity. It’s about spreading ideas that you believe in, sharing ideas you’re passionate about… and doing it with authenticity. Marketing is about treating prospects and customers with respect, and realizing that it’s easier to grow the amount of business you do with happy people than it is to find new strangers to accost.

~ Seth Godin from, Marketing has a marketing problem

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I am not a marketer. I mean, sure, at some bedrock level one could argue that everyone is a marketer. But just generally, I don’t think of myself as a marketer. A large part of that is because I’ve always perceived marketing as a basically sleazy operation.

But now I see that marketing… actual marketing as opposed to the sewage I am most often exposed to… is really a good thing.

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Amos Rendao | The Art of Falling

Published November 21, 2018 · All posts on Nov 21

On Castbox.fm — Amos Rendao | The Art of Falling

What principles and methods can enhance the practice of falling safely and effectively in Parkour and other movement arts?

Exploring the art of falling to revolutionize confidence and safety in movement training.

The term Parkour Ukemi comes from my two biggest sources of inspiration. Ukemi is a Japanese term from Aikido. That is my original inspiration for an organized study of falling.

~ Amos Redao (0:41)

The conversation introduces the concept of “Parkour Ukemi,” a system inspired by Aikido’s study of falling and adapted for the rigorous demands of Parkour. Amos outlines the challenges of falling in complex and varied environments, emphasizing the importance of a unifying theory that links different falling techniques to body orientations and other variables. This approach aims to make falling techniques accessible, safe, and intuitive for practitioners, enhancing their ability to troubleshoot and learn independently.

Amos also highlights the value of integrating falling practice into regular training. This practice not only builds confidence and reduces fear but also accelerates the learning process by allowing practitioners to explore their limits safely. The curriculum, summarized in an online course titled “The Art of Falling,” represents over a decade of study and experimentation, offering structured guidance to improve training outcomes and enjoyment.

Takeaways

Falling as a skill — Falling is a critical yet often neglected skill in Parkour and movement disciplines.

Unifying theory of falling — A framework that connects various falling techniques to body orientation and environmental factors.

Aikido’s influence — Insights from Aikido’s Ukemi serve as a foundation for developing falling techniques in Parkour.

Complexity of falling — Variables like surface type, speed, and obstacles create diverse continuums in falling methods.

Confidence through practice — Regular falling practice reduces fear, enhances confidence, and makes training more playful.

Accelerated learning — Safe exploration of failure leads to faster skill acquisition and personal growth.

Structured curriculum — Over a decade of study culminates in an organized online course, “The Art of Falling.”

Playfulness in training — Mastery of falling transforms fear into fun, enabling daring and creative movements.

Parkour EDU — A platform offering resources and the online course “The Art of Falling,” developed by the guest.

Art of Retreat

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Compassion

Published November 21, 2018 · All posts on Nov 21

All of these desperate and depraved acts we see ‘bad people’ do, we are all ultimately capable of them too. Under different circumstances, with a different upbringing and different experiences, every one of us could be a killer. But if you got lucky, and that’s not the way it turned out, you might be inclined to put yourself on a distinctly higher plane.

~ David Cain from, Should We Have Compassion for Killers?

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I’ve learned to use venom and outrage as indicators. When I taste venom… when I feel outraged… that’s when I redouble my efforts to use my brain and be rational.

I’m not convinced (one way or the other) as to wether it’s even possible to never feel outraged–or if that’s even a good end-goal.

But I am certain that–without exception–if ever I let my outrage direct my actions, I regret it later.

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What if

Published November 19, 2018 · All posts on Nov 19

But what if we blocked all of our exits, and stopped ourselves from numbing out or escaping being present to our feelings and the moment in front of us?

~ Leo Babauta from, Refraining From Letting Ourselves Numb Out

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What if indeed!

Much of my personal changes arise from observing my habitual behavior and then putting up some sort of road block (or at least adding some friction) to derail me when I head for the habitual behavior.

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There’s nothing small about the world

Published November 18, 2018 · All posts on Nov 18

This entry is part 66 of 72 in the series My Journey

Now I realize I was not giving up anything of any use to anyone. The news never really added to my knowledge in any meaningful way. It just added a steady stream of limited and unsubstantiated viewpoints on select issues to my head, which is already full of limited and unsubstantiated viewpoints. The news doesn’t inform you about what’s happening in the world. The news only informs you of what’s on the news.

~ David Cain from, There’s Nothing Small About the World

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One of the first steps I ever took in turning my life around was to get a handle on my information “diet.” In the beginning, there was TV. I was horribly mistaken in thinking that it was possible to obtain any useful news from TV. (There’s plenty of entertainment on TV if you’re willing to guzzle advertising with it.) Early on, perhaps around ~1993, I realized you could use RSS (and it’s many descendent flavors) to watch [as in, “notice when things are published”, not “mindlessly stare at”] information sources of my choosing.

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Adam McClellan, Caitlin Pontrella, & Alan Tran | Art of Retreat

Published November 14, 2018 · All posts on Nov 14

On Castbox.fm — Adam McClellan, Caitlin Pontrella, & Alan Tran | Art of Retreat

What makes Art of Retreat a transformative experience for community leaders and organizers?

Leaders gather to exchange ideas, solve problems, and shape the future of Parkour communities.

It’s been kind of special to wake up in the morning and have it be peaceful and quiet and more nature oriented. And I think that’s changed the vibe in a certain way which has been pretty valuable.

~ Adam McClellan (0:37)

Art of Retreat, held in the Cascade Mountains, brings together leaders, educators, and organizers to foster collaboration and growth in the Parkour community. The setting contrasts with previous urban locations, providing a peaceful and cohesive environment for attendees to engage deeply with one another. A significant focus of the event is creating a space for problem-solving, leadership development, and community building, with sessions addressing topics like business practices, sports psychology, and story branding.

When I think about stand-out experiences from the weekend, honestly, it was— …while the talks, obviously, are the key elements, the things that really resonated with me were the things beyond that: The community building, and getting a sense of group-making and cohesion.

~ Caitlin Pontrella (2:52)

Attendees value the social aspects and shared experiences beyond the formal talks, such as night missions, treasure hunts, and cabin activities. The organizers emphasize the importance of a diverse speaker lineup, often through an application process, ensuring a wide range of voices and perspectives. Challenges like travel logistics and expanding the event’s duration are under consideration to enhance the experience further. The event continues to grow in geographic reach and influence, drawing participants from international locations and various parts of North America.

Takeaways

The impact of location — A shift to the Cascade Mountains enhances cohesion and creates a peaceful, reflective environment.

Cohesion and connection — The retreat format allows for deeper group bonding and social interaction beyond formal sessions.

Community-focused programming — The event emphasizes leadership, education, and business aspects of Parkour, filling gaps left by other events focused solely on physical practice.

Diversity of voices — A mix of invited speakers and open applications ensures a broad range of perspectives and expertise.

Importance of informal moments — Activities like treasure hunts, night missions, and shared meals foster community and collaboration.

Expanding reach — The conference attracts attendees from across North America and internationally, reflecting its growing influence.

Future improvements — Plans include addressing travel logistics, adding additional days for decompression, and increasing focus on leadership and team-building topics.

Event co-creation — Volunteers, sponsors, and venue staff play crucial roles in the event’s success, highlighting the collaborative nature of the retreat.

Resources

Parkour Visions — A supporting organization that contributed to the event’s success and logistics.

Firestorm Freerunning — Sponsored the event and provided community support.

Axiom Parkour — Partner organization contributing to workshops and sessions.

YMCA Camp Lake Wenatchee — The venue for the retreat, providing a scenic and well-maintained environment for the conference.

Movers Mindset — Craig’s platform involved in recording and sharing content from the retreat.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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