Never the same...

While teaching/coaching the other day, my "clients" and I were discussing growth.



Erwan Le Corre said it well, I'm paraphrasing here, but:

"You should always improve on the skills you've learned. Make weaknesses into strengths. Maintain Strengths and do things more efficiently; gracefully. And Inspire that growth in the people you work with, by BEING Inspiring."

If Change is a constant, let it be towards something positive. I personally cannot stand looking back 6 months and seeing not even a tiny bit of growth in myself. Just as with anyone, on occasion, that happens to me...no growth. When it does, I react, then I remind myself of what it is that I enjoy - improving, and then make the adjustment to strive for improvement; for positive growth.

Most people will also stop participating in something because they stop seeing results, stop seeing growth, when growth is expected.

But growth, positive change, doesn't "just happen". You have to do something. And you cannot think that attaining a rank, a title, x amount of years of training will all equate to constant growth if in fact you do nothing, or do the EXACT same thing over and over. There should be sense of exploration, a sense of play (something that Steve Smith greatly influenced me towards).

As Ron Ogi would say,

"You do the Same Thing, you'll get the Same Thing. You do Nothing, you'll get Nothing." 

So if the "same thing" you do, is grow, explore, play, & refine; you'll always grow, explore, play & refine! 

This is a major reason I've found renewed joy in my life as "Michael, the Individual", "Michael, the Gung-Fu man", & now, in addition, "Michael, the MovNat practitioner". I've always been known for using metaphors in my teaching. Because by seeing similarities it can help make strides in understanding. And through that understanding you can play more, refine more. Jumping is built on components of landing, knowing the distance you want to travel, the set-up for the appropriate type of jump to use to cover that distance, and then the details that make each different jump unique amongst themselves. Closing the Gap is built on components of ending up where you want to be (landing), awareness of distance between you and the opponent, the proper set-up for the appropriate type of close as well as achieving the explosive non-telegraphic motion of the close itself, and then the details that make each close different amongst themselves. See the similarities and the differences? As I've gotten better at Jumping, I've gotten better at Closing. Growth came from exploring something new, playing with it, refining it...and then making connections to better my understanding.

Growth can happen anytime, and anywhere, you just have to be open to the lesson that is there, explore with it, play with it, refine it...making it a part of You.

"It's a never ending process!" - Lonnie Williams (a great musician and fellow "Sifu" in DeMile's lineage)

Remember:

"Do Nothing, get Nothing. Do the Same Thing, get the Same Thing."

Explore, play, refine...then growth comes.