On this day

November 6th

Thanks for making me think, Ric!

November 6

It’s important we actually think about this: what you’re unaware of controls you here. We can’t talk about continuous improvement if we don’t ask ourselves,  why are we here as a team? What’s our promise to the organisation? Here, I think it’s vital that we embrace the fact that our hurry to get to say number three on a scale of ten is often what blocks us from actually getting to ten.

~ Ric Lindberg, from Continuous improvement

That’s from a July podcast episode of Ric Lindberg’s Results and Relationships which you can find wherever you normally listen. His is currently the only podcast I subscribe to.

Ric is usually showing up to lead others in the context of professional organizations… but not entirely. There’s plenty in his work that applies to us as individual creatives. Every episode, I find myself thinking: “Right! I already knew that,” and “thanks, Ric, for making me think about this!”

Showing up to lead is enough. You don’t have to break new ground for your work to be helpful.

Right! I already knew that. Thanks, Ric, for making me think about this!

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PS: About my subscriptions, there are many podcasts whose RSS feeds I follow in my feed reader app (along with hundreds of other things.) My podcast player is quiet; No new episodes appear creating that fear-of-missing-out. Instead, only when I open my feed reader app, do I see all the new episodes from the many podcast shows I follow. And just like everything else, I simply skim through, and I can add a podcast episode if I wish. This is an example of calm technology.

There’s no “Fin!”

November 6, 2023

In the last 20 years I’ve made three false–starts at sketching. They parallel my personal growth. The first false–start involved me buying books and materials, and spending a lot of time setting things up to create what I thought was the perfect environment. No sketching happened. The second false–start involved my removing what I thought was a barrier; I switched to journaling in pencil (a multi-year side quest I eventually returned from loving ink more deeply) because I thought having the sketching tools before me more often would lead to sketching. The third false-start now happens once every few weeks: I find myself paused, looking at something, really seeing, and I notice an urge to sketch.

I came late to his work: I remember seeing him on TV when I was a kid, but I only really started reading him post-cancer, around 2010 or so, when he was in the middle of his great blogging explosion caused by losing his voice due to his health complications.

~ Austin Kleon from, 10 years without Roger Ebert – Austin Kleon

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The connection is that Roger Ebert did a lot of sketching in addition to a lot of writing.

This time of year, every year, I’m thinking about seasons of life at large, and cycles in our work. I find that it’s fulfilling when I finish some large thing— when the last piece of a large project clicks into place like the final jigsaw piece. What doesn’t work is when I imagine that feeling of fulfillment too soon. I do try to imagine what done looks like before I begin small things—few-hours sized things, days sized things. But for large things, it’s often better if I think of a few possible ways it could eventually be “done” and then simply get to work. It’s best if I remember there’s no tidy “Fin!” like at the end of a movie; There’s only the doing.

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Radical happiness

November 6, 2022

Particularly radical was Franklin’s idea about who could pursue happiness in this way. In Europe at the time, mainly aristocratic men with means would have been able to pursue lifelong learning in a formal sense. Franklin rejected this. He believed that “this pursuit was not the province of the upper classes,” Burns told me, “but rather for everyone, from the wealthy to the masses.” Burns hastened to add that this idea was nowhere near expansive enough in Franklin’s time—Franklin himself had slaves in his household, and equal rights for women were still far off—but this philosophy set the unique American aspiration in motion.

~ Arthur C. Brooks from, Ben Franklin’s Radical Theory of Happiness – The Atlantic

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There’s certainly a lot one can say about Franklin ranging from great to terrible. He feels close enough in time that he should be at least partly relatable and understandable, like a quirky uncle who has some sketchy ideas but is generally a good egg. But he isn’t; He isn’t that close in time and the reality of his life is all over the map. It’s difficult, but important, to try to give proper credit for radical, positive ideas despite other blemishes, mistakes, or egregious errors. Brooks does a tidy job of focusing on Franklin’s advancement of the batshit–crazy notion that everyone could do the absolutely selfish thing of pursuing their own happiness, and that would actually make the communal society better. Alas, it’s humanity’s loss that such radical ideas didn’t surface sooner.

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Happiness

November 6, 2021

Wealth is not happiness nor is swimming pools and villas. Nor is great work alone reward, or fame. Foreign places visited themselves give nothing. It is only you who bring to the places your heart, or in your great work feeling, or in your large house place. If you do this there is happiness.

~ Richard Feynman

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The TV in the other room

November 6, 2021

It may surprise you that the words keep coming even if you’re not entertaining them, just as a TV program keeps showing itself to an empty room. You can always hear it carrying on, but it’s up to you whether to go in and sit on the couch.

~ David Cain from, How to Get out of Your Own Head

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Funny, but I don’t ever recall the TV being on in the other room. I certainly have spent a lot of time—that’s a vast understatement—directly sat before the TV. But somewhere somehow somewhen I must have developed the habit of turning it off when I left the room. Which strikes me as very odd.

No great epiphany here. Just: That strikes me as very odd.

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Rafe Kelley: Hero’s journey, practice, and self transformation

November 6, 2019

Rafe Kelley: Hero’s journey, practice, and self transformation

How can movement practices, particularly parkour, serve as tools for self-transformation and personal growth?

Rafe Kelley dives deep into his thoughts about the hero’s journey and it’s relevance to parkour. He shares his own journey and research into parkour and movement, finding meaning in practicing, and why he trains in nature. Rafe discusses parkour’s power as a transformative practice, the spirit behind it, and what makes it unique.

What parkour does is it provides a mini hero’s journey that can be approached over and over again in your training sessions.

~ Rafe Kelley (3:23)

The conversation explores the idea of using movement practices, particularly parkour, as a means of personal and psychological transformation. Parkour is likened to a mini hero’s journey, where practitioners confront challenges, overcome fears, and grow through deliberate practice. The discussion goes into the concept of combining elements from martial arts, natural movement, and mindfulness to create a holistic approach that transcends mere physical skill, addressing deeper aspects of human growth and connection.

The narrative extends into the philosophical underpinnings of movement, discussing how metaphors and embodied cognition play crucial roles in shaping our understanding of life and self-improvement. Insights from mythology, evolutionary anthropology, and cognitive science are woven throughout, emphasizing the importance of integrating physical practice with psycho-technologies. This integration seeks to cultivate wisdom, foster resilience, and inspire meaningful transformation.

Takeaways

The hero’s journey in movement practices — Parkour serves as a repeated framework for experiencing and mastering the hero’s journey through physical challenges.

Embodied cognition and metaphor — Movement reflects and informs our mental processes, revealing how metaphors and physicality shape our understanding of life.

Evolve Move Play framework — A structured approach combining parkour, martial arts, mindfulness, and natural movement to foster self-transformation.

Cultural insights into parkour — The origins and evolution of parkour reveal its potential to act as a transformative practice beyond mere athleticism.

Wisdom versus intelligence — True growth lies in applying intelligence to cultivate wisdom, balancing physical and mental development.

Psycho-technologies in practice — Practices such as meditation, play, and storytelling integrate to enhance personal growth and wisdom.

Resources

Evolve Move Play — Rafe Kelley’s organization focusing on integrating movement practices with personal transformation.

Awakening from the Meaning Crisis — Lecture series by John Vervaeke exploring the loss of wisdom traditions and the pursuit of meaning.

Breaking the Jump — Julie Angel’s Book exploring parkour’s history and philosophy.

Metta Meditation Guide — Explanation of the loving-kindness meditation practice discussed.

Njáls Saga — A classic Icelandic saga referenced for its stories of physical feats and heroism.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Ville Leppanen: Life-long learning, coaching, and intervals

November 6, 2018

Ville Leppanen: Life-long learning, coaching, and intervals

What lessons can we learn about personal growth, community building, and training innovation through parkour?

Craig sits down to interview Ville Leppanen, a lifelong learner and member of the Finnish Parkour community. Ville discusses how he uses different tools in his coaching, how to work smarter instead of harder, and how he uses interval training to help him in parkour. Finally, Ville touches on how his coaching has evolved over the years and how his teaching has helped him learn things about himself.

For me, the process is, ‘okay, I have this idea and… I have no idea…’ Is it any good? Will it work? Will it be interesting? But what the hell, let’s give it a go!

~ Ville Leppanen (4:00)

The conversation highlights Ville Leppanen’s innovative approach to coaching, focusing on using tools, questions, and unconventional methods to inspire curiosity and adaptability in training. Ville shares his perspective on integrating scientific principles into parkour, aiming to combine rigorous research with the sport’s creative essence. Discussions also touch on interval training strategies for maximizing physical performance while balancing intensity and recovery.

The dialogue explores the Finnish parkour community’s cohesiveness, influenced by cultural tendencies toward collaboration and organization. Ville reflects on how confrontation and cultural differences affect community dynamics. He emphasizes the value of stepping outside the parkour bubble by exploring other disciplines, fostering a holistic movement practice, and gaining new insights to improve coaching and community-building efforts.

Takeaways

Ville’s philosophy on tools — Using simple objects in creative ways enhances learning and training processes.

Interval training — Tailoring work-rest cycles to optimize endurance and intensity in parkour practice.

Finnish parkour community — Unified by collaboration and early organization, reflecting Finnish cultural traits.

Confrontation avoidance — Addressing how cultural norms shape community interactions and growth.

Questions as tools — Facilitating personal and student growth by fostering curiosity rather than providing answers.

Exploring diverse disciplines — Engaging with other activities enriches perspectives and enhances movement skills.

Long-term physical goals — Prioritizing sustainable, playful training to ensure lifelong movement capability.

Family classes in parkour — A Finnish innovation promoting intergenerational bonding through shared movement experiences.

Resources

American Rendezvous — A well-organized parkour event Ville attended, noted for its professionalism.

Supreme Parkour Armageddon — An annual Finnish parkour event known for its evolving, humorous naming tradition.

Parkour Generations — Features coaching and events that Ville mentioned as impactful early in his training.

Sisu — A Finnish concept of perseverance and resilience, central to Ville’s outlook.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Day 97/100 – ring a’ ding ding

November 6, 2017

(Part 100 of 104 in series, 100 Days of Training (2017))

Variation of the 15 minute drill, on rings. Do about 15 seconds of effort every minute, for 15 minutes. Variations: Strict pushups with both hands in the rings; knee pushups both hands in rings; strict pushups with ONE hand on floor; static plank (high and low versions) with both hands in the rings; “clocking” where you move your hands symetically as far from the neutral position; good old pushups to failure on the ground to finish.

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How often should we eat?

November 6, 2016

(Part 12 of 14 in series, John Briffa's "A Good Look at Good Health")

When I started experimenting with intermittent fasting a year or so ago, it occurred to me that my previous beliefs about our ‘need’ to eat three times a day were just wide of the mark for me and, as it turns out, a lot of other people now. I now encourage a much more fluid approach based on the two guidelines above. One thing it’s done for me and others is to liberate us from the supposed need to eat by the clock. The benefits can be huge. In general, taking a more fluid approach seems to lead to people eating less, having more time, and being less preoccupied with food. These are usually big pluses for people.

~ John Briffa from, «http://www.drbriffa.com/2012/08/31/how-often-should-we-eat-2/»

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Do not go gently into that good night

November 6, 2013

We may not all achieve a high level of technical mastery enabling us to ward off the attacks of a skilled and aggressive opponent, even after many years of training. But, at the very least, we should be able to maintain a healthy life-style and keep our bodies flexible and well-conditioned even into advanced age. This is within the capacity of everyone and does not require any special genetic predisposition or extraordinary athletic skills. When many of us reach instructor level after a certain period of training, we gradually turn into passive supervisors rather than vigorous participants.

~ Stan Pranin from, «http://members.aikidojournal.com/public/the-body-is-the-temple-of-the-spirit/»

That link takes you into the “members only” area of the Aikido Journal web site. If you are an Aikido student, you should immediately join — the fee is minimal and supports Stan’s great work. If you are not an Aikido student, but really want to read this, let me know… I can make you a copy from the Aikido Journal issue.

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