When I write, I often have moments when I’m stuck. I don’t know what to write next or where the essay is actually going. I’m getting in my own way, overanalyzing a situation. It doesn’t just happen when I’m writing, it could be climbing or catching a football.
This post made me think of "The Art of Learning" by Josh Waitzkin. A quote that I love:
"In performance training, first we learn to flow with whatever comes. Then we learn to use whatever comes to our advantage. Finally, we learn to be completely self-sufficient and create our own earthquakes, so our mental process feeds itself explosive inspirations without the need for outside stimulus."
There's a great book, The Inner Game of Tennis, that's all about this idea of getting out of your own way. Cool to see the same concepts applied to rock climbing!
This is one of your better one, Chris. I'm glad I subscribed to this newsletter. Great find with Johnny Dawes coaching on rock climbing to get out of our own way.
Hope to hear from others who are also curious about this. I wonder how to re-apply the same point but for traditional cognitive skill bundles like analysis, software development, etc.
I would think it's more intuitive with physical skills. I agree with the McGilchrist angle - how do we engage the Right hemisphere?
One thing that just popped in my head was that I have very few blocks to trying out physical skill, but a lot trying out mental skills. Example, I can try out a physical hobby like jiu-jitsu and make a habit out of it very easily but I've been procrastinating on learning Chinese for months. I wonder if this is related?
> I can try out a physical hobby like jiu-jitsu and make a habit out of it very easily but I've been procrastinating on learning Chinese for months. I wonder if this is related?
I have been trying a few things this year and i realized just getting started and not caring too much about the end goal helps me get unstuck fast.
And I always pick up lessons I did not intend to at the start.
I didn't have time to write this, but I recently finished a 12 week Dale Carnegie course.
I thought I would learn some technique about presentation but I ended up learning something more important which is attitude.
It will sound completely cheesy when i typed it out, but suffice to say I did not learn what I thought I wanted, but I definitely learned something i needed.
Speaking of learning chinese, I am now learning japanese on duolingo. Just passed 100 days of consec.
I suspect you and me we are too much of the cognitive type because we are good at them. So the other muscles like emotional or intuitional, are under-developed.
Try something to get out of the current impasse, Chris :)
And tell me what you try. I find telling at least one person even in confidence helps! You have my email, anyway :)
Great insights, Chris.
This post made me think of "The Art of Learning" by Josh Waitzkin. A quote that I love:
"In performance training, first we learn to flow with whatever comes. Then we learn to use whatever comes to our advantage. Finally, we learn to be completely self-sufficient and create our own earthquakes, so our mental process feeds itself explosive inspirations without the need for outside stimulus."
Great book!
There's a great book, The Inner Game of Tennis, that's all about this idea of getting out of your own way. Cool to see the same concepts applied to rock climbing!
That's been on my list for a long time! I need to move it up, I know it's short.
I love the Unknown Unknowns title, it captures the air of our times and the need of modesty.
I love the Ken Kesey quote. Awesome essay about getting into a flow state.
This is one of your better one, Chris. I'm glad I subscribed to this newsletter. Great find with Johnny Dawes coaching on rock climbing to get out of our own way.
By the way, I have also thought about possibly applying Johnny Dawes' concept of getting out of your own way for cognitive skillset.
On the surface, it seems that Johnny's insight only applies to physical sports or skillset like dancing, but I doubt that.
Reason 1, there's increasing acceptance by experts that cognition is also embodied.
Reason 2, even supposed physical skill bundles involve subskills like decision-making which is traditionally seen as cognitive in nature.
I repeated this point as a note here https://substack.com/profile/556728-kimsia-sim/note/c-17202669
Hope to hear from others who are also curious about this. I wonder how to re-apply the same point but for traditional cognitive skill bundles like analysis, software development, etc.
I may be wrong.
But, the more i stew on this, the more I feel this is the Iain McGilchrist research that is applicable here.
Check out my latest issue (#105) for another McGilchrist connection
I would think it's more intuitive with physical skills. I agree with the McGilchrist angle - how do we engage the Right hemisphere?
One thing that just popped in my head was that I have very few blocks to trying out physical skill, but a lot trying out mental skills. Example, I can try out a physical hobby like jiu-jitsu and make a habit out of it very easily but I've been procrastinating on learning Chinese for months. I wonder if this is related?
> I can try out a physical hobby like jiu-jitsu and make a habit out of it very easily but I've been procrastinating on learning Chinese for months. I wonder if this is related?
I have been trying a few things this year and i realized just getting started and not caring too much about the end goal helps me get unstuck fast.
And I always pick up lessons I did not intend to at the start.
I didn't have time to write this, but I recently finished a 12 week Dale Carnegie course.
I thought I would learn some technique about presentation but I ended up learning something more important which is attitude.
It will sound completely cheesy when i typed it out, but suffice to say I did not learn what I thought I wanted, but I definitely learned something i needed.
Speaking of learning chinese, I am now learning japanese on duolingo. Just passed 100 days of consec.
I suspect you and me we are too much of the cognitive type because we are good at them. So the other muscles like emotional or intuitional, are under-developed.
Try something to get out of the current impasse, Chris :)
And tell me what you try. I find telling at least one person even in confidence helps! You have my email, anyway :)