You live as if you would live forever; the thought of human frailty never enters your head, you never notice how much of your time is already spent. You squander it as though your store were full to overflowing, when in fact the very day of which you make a present to someone or something may be your last. Like the mortal you are, you are apprehensive of everything; but your desires are unlimited as if you were immortal.
~ Seneca
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I’ve been thinking about ways to create more opportunity for engagement among the people who are following the work of the Movers Mindset project. We’ve reached a point where we’re creating plenty of content and sharing ideas—but currently almost entirely in the broadcast direction. We’ve a considerable collection of people who are passively consuming.
Meanwhile, every time I manage to engage with someone [in this context of Movers Mindset], it’s an energizing exchange of ideas about movement, movement’s place in society, and sometimes even philosophy in general.
The whole project is intentionally aimed at people who are becoming, or already are, reflective. Such people tend to have made the growth step beyond low-value interaction and engagement and are increasingly aware of how they engage and expend their time especially online. I suppose the key is to simply engage with them one by one, until that becomes untenable for me.
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Our assignment, like that of any new boss or coach, is to overhaul the organization (i.e., ourselves), strip it down to its basics, redefine its mission, its goals, its virtues and its vices. We have to fire every part of ourselves that can’t or won’t get onboard the new mission and we have to achieve buy-in from all the other parts that we have allowed to remain with the franchise.
~ Steven Pressfield from, Why the Raiders Suck
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This exercise always proves beneficial for me; systematically going through everything that I’m doing, my habits, my friends—everything. Take the time to assess, and in particular to consider: Knowing what I know today, if today I was offered this “opportunity” to allocate my time or resources, on this thing, would I take it? It’s a powerful way to work around our inherent tendency to fall for the sunk cost fallacy.
Here I have 500 books on my “read this” bookcase. Picking up one book, knowing all that I know today, would I read this book? Considering all that I know today, would I buy a TV, subscribe to Netflix, and arrange my living room in this fashion? …would I call it my sedentary entertainment room instead? Knowing what I know today, would I agree to have dinner or drinks with this person who I currently have labeled [in my mind] as a friend? How does each of these things move me forward?
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Remarkable accomplishment requires a remarkable amount of focus; this much is clear. But focus without grounded direction is unlikely to hit the sweet spot.
~ Cal Newport from, Learn the Landscape Before Putting on Blinders
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I’ve come across this point/idea many times in my journey. It took me a long time to learn how to focus, but it’s proving more challenging to figure out what to focus on.
Diligence? Focus? Single-mindedness? …whatever you want to call it. I am able to get a lot done. But I find I’m always second-guessing myself after I’ve gotten a significant portion of the way through some project…
Today, more questions than answers I suppose.
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On Castbox.fm — Blake Evitt | The Parkour Community within the Larger Urban Fabric
How can Parkour communities foster diversity and inclusivity while balancing the growth of gym-based models and maintaining engagement with broader urban and local spaces?
Inclusivity in Parkour is not just ethical but also essential for long-term business growth.
Building a strong and diverse community is not something that is against your business interests. […] A lot of the models are based on a gym only model, which means that we are kind of vastly under serving and ignoring and kind of walling ourselves off from large swaths of the population.
~ Blake Evitt (4:44)
The conversation focuses on the intersection between Parkour as a growing industry and its role in fostering diverse and inclusive communities. One recurring theme is the tension between the rise of gym-based Parkour models and the need to engage with broader urban environments to ensure accessibility. Gym-centric models risk excluding those who cannot afford memberships or lack access to gym facilities. Outdoor training and public space utilization are emphasized as strategies to broaden participation and maintain Parkour’s original roots.
Another topic highlights the role of community leaders in shaping public perception of Parkour. Positive engagement with local governments, schools, and community centers can open doors to wider recognition and acceptance. Initiatives such as after-school programs and collaboration with recreation departments are presented as effective ways to expand outreach. The importance of coaching standards, insurance, and building relationships with diverse groups is also underlined as key to sustainable growth.
Takeaways
Building diverse communities — Inclusion and diversity benefit both the Parkour community and business interests.
Gym-only models — Limiting Parkour to gyms excludes large segments of the population and reduces growth potential.
Public space use — Training outdoors fosters visibility, normalizes Parkour, and improves public perception.
Community engagement — Partnerships with schools, recreation departments, and community centers expand reach and deepen community ties.
Coaching and standards — Developing coaching skills and engaging with certifications enhances professionalism and safety.
Insurance barriers — Finding insurance for outdoor training remains a challenge but is critical for growth beyond gym walls.
Urban integration — Viewing Parkour as part of the urban fabric encourages outreach in varied settings beyond major cities.
Long-term perception — Positive public behavior directly influences Parkour’s reputation and future opportunities.
Resources
Parkour Generations — Organization involved in Parkour coaching, events, and leadership.
Art of Retreat — The leadership and education retreat for the Parkour community.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Stop drifting. You’re not going to re-read your Brief Comments, your Deeds of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, the commonplace books you saved for your old age. Sprint for the finish. Write off your hopes, and if your well-being matters to you, be your own savior while you can.
~ Marcus Aurelius
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Stop drifting. You’re not going to re-read your Brief Comments, your Deeds of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, the commonplace books you saved for your old age. Sprint for the finish. Write off your hopes, and if your well-being matters to you, be your own savior while you can.
~ Marcus Aurelius
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Normally I would simply let a quote from Aurelius stand on its own. If you’re not familiar with Meditations—Aurelius didn’t choose that title for what he wrote, it was added to his work much later—it was a collection of writings he meant only for himself; this is the emperor of the Roman empire remonstrating himself.
Here’s a second helping of remonstration: Explore. Dream. Discover.
I write this blog for myself. (And no, I’m not laboring under the delusion that I’m creating a work for the ages like Aurelius’s, Meditations.) But I am simply pleased if you, Dear Reader, find my ramblings interesting. I am genuinely delighted if anything I write stimulates your thinking. I am downright ecstatic if any of my questions catalyze your changing the course of your life.
Do you read regularly, and what have you chosen to read with the aim of changing the course of your life?
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Wild animals run from the dangers they actually see, and once they escape them worry no more. We however are tormented alike by what is past and what is to come. A number of our blessings do us harm, for memory brings back the agony of fear while foresight brings it on prematurely. No one confines his unhappiness to the present.
~ Seneca
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When we work out while listening to a podcast or checking messages, we lose out on being present with our bodies, feeling the experience of moving, exerting ourselves, being in nature.
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I try to walk as much as I can. Usually I make it out to walk every day for about an hour. For years I was simply walking in nature with myself and my thoughts. A few years ago, when I got really into podcasts as a listener, I started listening while walking.
But about a year ago—after noticing I’d stopped writing things down about my walks—I realized that I had lost something valuable: My time alone with my thoughts. So I cut back to listening to podcasts for about half the walk.
I’m often asked if I meditate. Yes, particularly in the past year, and it looks a lot like walking.
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This is the upper fall. It’s 1,430′ (440m). The photo is from a foot bridge at the trail’s closest approach. If you look closely, there is a hiker wearing a blue jacket, standing atop the largest rock.