This blog post is really about nothing. I just wanted to share with you what I am doing.
This week, I resurrected an old cabinet from our basement. I usually joke with Ester when we put items in the basement. I call it “doing basement time”, which is akin to “doing jail time” because usually the items eventually ends up on the curb or part of a yard sale. I suppose we feel guilty about taking something right out of our living room and tossing in the garbage.
Well, back to the cabinet resurrection…
We hate waste – throwing a perfectly fine cabinet out did not seem right. The cabinet was a super ugly turquoise (sorry, if you like the color) that did not match with anything.
Ester and I were browsing at an antique shop and they stocked a restoration section. We found an extra cool black paint. This weekend, we re-painted the cabinet. Viola! The cabinet looks wonderful!! Here’s a picture of the new cabinet.
I think that making the old, new again is a great metaphor for our training, our work, our businesses, and our lives.
Eight tips for making the old, new again
1. The Beginners Mind – step back from what you are doing and act like you are seeing it for the first time.
2. See it from someone’s eyes – Walk in someone else’s shoes. When you are teaching a class, try to see through the student’s eyes then see it through the parent’s eyes.
3. 1000 punches = 1 punch – I heard this in my training many years ago. Most activities, especially in your training and business, are very repetitive… one action repeated over and over. Mastery is not performing one perfect repetition, but repeating something perfectly a thousand times.
4. Seek your original enthusiasm – Reminisce about the old exciting times. Draw that old excitement out again.
5. Compete against yourself and ourselves – Nothing can fire you up again like some friendly competition.
6. Share your passion – talk passionately about your life, your mission. Every introductory lesson that I do, gets me energized because I love telling people about what the martial arts does for children and adults just like them.
7. Write about it – Putting your feelings into words is a powerful exercise. Writing this piece has me, fired up and ready to do something great.
8. Fake it – If all else fails, just fake it. Be an actor, and act as if it’s the first time. Replicate the postures, mannerisms, and attitude of the part you want to act out. I bet before long that you will no longer be faking… it will be real.
I hope that I got you excited about your life – you deserve it. Now, get out there and take on the world.
This week, I resurrected an old cabinet from our basement. I usually joke with Ester when we put items in the basement. I call it “doing basement time”, which is akin to “doing jail time” because usually the items eventually ends up on the curb or part of a yard sale. I suppose we feel guilty about taking something right out of our living room and tossing in the garbage.
Well, back to the cabinet resurrection…
We hate waste – throwing a perfectly fine cabinet out did not seem right. The cabinet was a super ugly turquoise (sorry, if you like the color) that did not match with anything.Ester and I were browsing at an antique shop and they stocked a restoration section. We found an extra cool black paint. This weekend, we re-painted the cabinet. Viola! The cabinet looks wonderful!! Here’s a picture of the new cabinet.
I think that making the old, new again is a great metaphor for our training, our work, our businesses, and our lives.
Eight tips for making the old, new again
1. The Beginners Mind – step back from what you are doing and act like you are seeing it for the first time.2. See it from someone’s eyes – Walk in someone else’s shoes. When you are teaching a class, try to see through the student’s eyes then see it through the parent’s eyes.
3. 1000 punches = 1 punch – I heard this in my training many years ago. Most activities, especially in your training and business, are very repetitive… one action repeated over and over. Mastery is not performing one perfect repetition, but repeating something perfectly a thousand times.
4. Seek your original enthusiasm – Reminisce about the old exciting times. Draw that old excitement out again.
5. Compete against yourself and ourselves – Nothing can fire you up again like some friendly competition.
6. Share your passion – talk passionately about your life, your mission. Every introductory lesson that I do, gets me energized because I love telling people about what the martial arts does for children and adults just like them.
7. Write about it – Putting your feelings into words is a powerful exercise. Writing this piece has me, fired up and ready to do something great.
8. Fake it – If all else fails, just fake it. Be an actor, and act as if it’s the first time. Replicate the postures, mannerisms, and attitude of the part you want to act out. I bet before long that you will no longer be faking… it will be real.
I hope that I got you excited about your life – you deserve it. Now, get out there and take on the world.
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