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Archive for the ‘Self-Improvement’ Category

What’s the Point of Being a Good Humanist in a Mucked-Up World? – Patheos

Posted: February 2, 2020 at 4:44 pm


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Lets begin with a story. Its the one where everythings going wrong: zoonosis has triggered a massive viral outbreak, and associated spike in racism; Brexit has gone into effect, emboldening further racists; democratic checks-and-balances are being denied in plain view in the U.S. political system; citizen monitoring and related forms of state control are on the rise in genocide-perpetuating China; the consequences of climate change are being felt the world over in extreme natural events and increasing refugeeism; populist presidents are still thriving through the implementation of brutal initiatives in a wide range of countries; indigenous activists are still dying in their on-the-ground attempts to help protect natural resources; our food systems are making us unhealthier; and if obesity or opioids dont kill us our loneliness epidemic will.

When I talk about humanismthat is, when I talk about the need for spiritual and secular people to put aside cosmological differences to focus on a shared interest in empowering human beings with empathy and scienceIm making a pretty darned big leap in presuming that we have any agency at all.

Because some days itreally doesnt seem like we do, does it?

We cut out single-use plastics and then read articles telling us that our substitutes might be making matters worse.

We strive to eat less-than-perfect-looking groceries, then discover that such trend cycles can create different forms of waste, when the food industry already has perfectly good uses for ugly vegetables.

We recycle our hearts out, then find out things about the recycling industry that make us doubt if its good enough.

We reduce ourmeat intake, but thentake a vacation worse than many peoples entire annual CO2 footprint, meat and all.

And are enough of us going to stop reproducing? Ever?

Is it reasonable, is it desirable, is it attainable, to be a good humanist in such a staunchly mucked-up world?

To be clear, after all: Therearealternatives to humanism, both spiritual secular. If there werent, to say one is humanist would be meaningless, on par with saying I am human. (Which Im certain most of you are.)

Theres existential nihilism, of course: the idea that life has no intrinsic meaning and nothing we create has meaning, either. For a spiritual nihilist, this looks like if you are not in favour with our god, your life is meaningless and probably forfeit. For an existential nihilist, this looks like theres no intrinsic meaning in the cosmos and no point to contriving a sense of meaning during my time alive. Do as you will until you die.

Then theres worldly detachment, Buddhist-flavoured or otherwise, in which one seeks a state of reduced investment in what the world is and isnt, aspiring simply tobe without striving for any greater insight or value in the time youve spent alive.

And then theres my personal favourite, absurdism. As in Albert Camuss famous summation of the precept, il faut imaginer sisyphe heureux (One must imagine Sisyphus happy), absurdism tells us to live with full awareness that life is meaningless without either killing ourselves or falling in with dishonest philosophy, instead being content with the struggle to hold the line between these options. Why? Because there and there alone, in ourchoice to be content with an existence we do not control, do we have any agency in the cosmos at all.

So, sure, we could be absurdists instead. (I often long to be one after certain news cycles.)

But thereis a critical difference between absurdism and humanism, and it lies in that notion of aspiring to contentment.

For an absurdist, thats it. Lifes a grand cosmic joke: revel in it!

For a humanist, though, we might ask for a broader range of responses.

We might say, that is, il faut imaginer sisyphe insatiable: insatiable for new knowledge, insatiable for new experience, insatiable for self-improvement.

Because who says he cant learn to sing while pushing that rock? Who says he cant holler at other denizens of Hades and ask them how the underworlds treating them? Who says he cant offer counsel to them in their own suffering, and share his own low spells to receive counsel and support from them in turn?

(And then, in more tragic cases, weve sometimes achieved that control by hastening that end along through war or other forms of mass suicide.)

Harder, far harder, is to invest in the struggle itself. This isnt the same as being hopeful (though youre welcome to feel hopeful, too, if youd like). This isnt about finding new and better platitudes to replace the old, and clinging to any sense that if we just try a little bit harder, a little bit longer, everything will work out in the end.

Secular humanists: Weknowit wont. The end is oblivion. Thats as much as anything ever works out in the cosmos.

So, no, this isnt about optimism, per se. This is more about recognizing when you are tired, and fed up, and cynical, and hurt, and wounded, and angryall conditions in which it seems reasonable just to stop botheringand then to make a concerted effort to keep bothering anyway.

Not because of some promised better world, spiritual or secular.

And not because we truly believe that racism, sexism, xenophobia, and other forms of social persecution will be solved in our lifetimes.

But because there is a gravity to saying, Everythings mucked-up and Im sticking with it anyway. Say it to yourself. Try it (or more forceful variants) out. Theres a conviction to it, isnt there? A grounding assertion of inner will.

Its our ultimate test, my friends. Can we get over ourselves, get over our egos, get over our hurting pasts and our grinding presents, get over all the people who ever wronged us and all the things we can never fix, long enough to be able to say, Existence does not have to be happy or hopeful to be a space where meaning is made?

After all, if there were a great big red button we could press to terminate everything simultaneously, okay, finethen wed be in a situation where it would be worth haggling over how much suffering is too much.

But we dont, so we arent. Instead we have a world where were all linked to one another, and our collective suffering rises and falls with one another. Much as we might want to live with perfect detachment, then, and much as we might want to affect absurdist humour through it all, the day-to-day reality of our interactions with other people and their struggles is always going to pull us back in to the agony of meaning-creation in human society. (I mean, unless youre already living in a remote cabin somewhere, disconnected from the entire ecosystem of human struggle? In which case, why the heck are you reading this?)

And it isagony, because meaning-creation is not easy, and its not always successful. We despair, we lose, we fail. Routinely. Daily, even. But even if were not high enough in the chain to make sweeping and sustainable changes to how much other people suffer, we can strive to alleviate proximate complaints: sometimes through aid; sometimes through presence; but most of all, by learning to look at our circumstances and remind ourselves that there is as much value in this form of existence as there is in any other, rich or poor, sea-slug and moutain-lion alike:

Namely, as much as we choose to invest in its growth.

So invest well, fellow humanistsin new knowledge, new experiences, new approaches to self- and communal improvement based on the best new intelall while expecting no greater reward than this:

That you invested in your existence for as long, and as meaningfully, as you could.

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What's the Point of Being a Good Humanist in a Mucked-Up World? - Patheos

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February 2nd, 2020 at 4:44 pm

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Buddhi Yoga – Discipline of the Intelligence – Daily Pioneer

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Buddhi, the intelligence, is not only a process of thinking but also the rationale behind that thinking. It is the seat of understanding and wisdom.

The senses are said to be great, but mind is greater than the senses ; and intelligence is greater than the mind. And that which is greater than even the intelligence, is the self (Shloka 3.42).

The buddhi, thus, works as a bridge between the senses and the mind on one hand ; and the soul on the other. When, instead of being guided by the buddhi, the mind becomes a slave of the senses ; one is driven by the desire for the objects of those senses. His actions are determined by such desires. Hence, he is subjected to the bondage of works.

In shlokas from 2.39 to 2.53, Krishna explains as to how, through buddhi yoga, one can free himself from this bondage.

Buddhi is not merely the power to frame and retain concepts ; but it has also the function of recognising, comprehending, reasoning, judging ; and discriminating.

When illumined by consciousness of the self, buddhi is cleared of the ignorance. The wisdom so revealed enables one to discriminate between good and evil, between right and wrong, between truth and falsehood ; and between the self and the non-self.

Whereas the one whose intelligence is disciplined, has a firm determination and a clear aim ; the thoughts of others are scattered and endless. Singlemindedness is a great asset for the achievement of ones goal.

The work done only for the fruits is far inferior to the work done under the discipline of intelligence. The one who is established in his intelligence casts away, in this very life, both good and evil. Since he has overcome selfishness, he is not attracted towards evil. He rises to an ethical status which transcends both good and evil.

It is important not only as to what one does, but also as to how one does. The spirit behind ones actions is equally important.

The wise who have united their intelligence with the Divine, free themselves from the bondage of repeated births by renouncing the fruits of their actions. In this manner, they attain that blissful state which is beyond any sorrow. When ones intelligence crosses the muddy waters of delusion, he becomes indifferent to enjoyments in this life or the next.

Those with superfluous knowledge get unduly influenced by the flowery words of the religious texts. Immersed in material desires, such people aim only at the heaven and good life in the next birth. They always remain bound by rituals. Intelligence of such people is not well-established in the self. They do not focus their mind on the God.

By the practice of buddhi Yoga, one understands that for the one whose intelligence has been illumined by consciousness, ritual observances are not very important. Instead of being led by the letter, he follows the spirit of the scriptures. He renounces all selfish desire and lives life like a sacrifice, offered with true devotion.

He undertakes any work with the understanding that he has right only to action, and never at all to its fruits. Therefore, he performs his prescribed duty without any attachment to the results of his actions. For the one who is so established in buddhi yoga, impending results of the past actions are neutralised and one is freed from the compulsion of future actions and their binding results. Intelligence of such a doer of work gets purified and remains established in the self. He then attains the divine consciousness. Even while remaining ever engaged in the performance of his assigned work, his mind always rests in the Supreme.

Buddhi yoga is the foundation for attaining perfection in all other paths of self-realisation ; because it is not possible to achieve success in any sphere of life, without proper self control and adequate discipline of mind. Krishna has assured that no effort is ever lost on this path of self-improvement. No obstacle on it lasts for long. Even a small move on it saves one from great dangers. In other words, even if one practices yoga only for some time and later abandons it for whatever reason, he still reaps its benefits. Moreover, no negative impact ever accrues from the practice of such yoga.

Krishna has advised that one should be free from all dualities like pleasure and pain, be firmly fixed in purity ; and be free from anxieties of gain and safety. In this manner, he can rise above the three modes of material nature ; and thus be established in the self.

To conclude, when one spontaneously follows the discipline of buddhi yoga, his intelligence gets more and more illumined and touches higher and higher levels of consciousness. As a result, bonds of the egoistic desire are broken. One realises the self, which is his true nature. The false ego dissolves and the sense of separateness vanishes. A vision of harmony is created in which one sees One in all and all in the One.

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Buddhi Yoga - Discipline of the Intelligence - Daily Pioneer

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February 2nd, 2020 at 4:44 pm

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Real welders share their New Year’s resolutions – The Fabricator

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Josh Welton asked welders via social media what their New Years resolutions are for 2020. Their responses vary, from sharpening their skills to focusing on their craft. Illustration by Gareth Sleger

Its the year 2020, and hopefully that means your vision for your future is in clear focus.

As the welding and fabrication industry seems to be at a tipping point between old norms and new ways of doing things, I thought Id throw out a question to my friends and followers on social media to see what hopes, wishes, and resolutions theyre looking forward to this year. The answers range from silly to serious, but instead of feeling like perhaps youre alone in your mindset, it can be nice to read about others with similar thoughts.

So here are a few New Years resolutions from real-world welders.

Chad Saylor: Weld more, talk less.

Shane York: Grind less

@Logan12155: Work less!

@Farmfabrication: Weld less

A popular resolution for many welders is obtaining new welding certifications and training to improve their craft.

Jb Rezzy: My New Years resolution is to learn how to TIG and get my certs.

@trowdah: This past year I barely got to TIG weld at work, so I'm heading into my union school two to three nights a week again to work on my stainless and carbon TIG and get a few more certs.

@micdylsmi: Get certified in stainless pipe. I dont need it for work, nor will I be getting another job soon, but I just want to do it.

@brokendreamsfabrication: Finish INCONEL certs and my Jeep, and buy property.

@quinnjamin19: Keep learning, stay up to date on my pressure welding tickets, and acquire my stainless welding ticket.

@henryensleytig: Certs & stainless pipe.

@jonesn1985: Try to spend more time learning to TIG because I'm horrible lol.

@Wing_it247: Learn to use my left hand to walk the cup on 6G.

@Arcmonkeyw74: Hopefully be more consistent, and also keep my job post Brexit.

@Gingerrmariee: Loved reading all of these. Certs this year for me.

This one is my personal favorite.

@artwarrior01: Work on my welds, passing 11th grade, asking this girl out to see if she wants to get a cup of coffee, and continue to weld.

There were also some ambitious replies from folks like my friend Scott Raabe (probably the only person who has had his welding photos borrowed without permission as often as I have) who recently opened Precision Welding Academy.

@scott_raabe: Making my school the best I can for the first year open and then continuing to grow it into one of the top in the nation.

I love this.

@petty_welding: To increase benefit packages to employees.

Many of you are looking to get a new business off the ground.

@arclifefab: Making myself better, growing my own business to get away from working for someone else, and then sharing my knowledge and helping to grow this great brotherhood of welding and fabricating we have going on around the world.

@chopp256: Getting the ball rolling on some fabrication of some parts for diesel trucks. Hopefully getting a small batch sold by this time next year.

@untamedartist_sara_hamburger: To weld sculptures that express my artistic vision and to continue to grow my welding business.

@Fireflyfabrication: Mine is to talk to more people, hand out more cards, and hopefully get some more paying work.

@uniquemetalworks13: Looking to be more recognized in the social media world!! Through Instagram and may start playing with Youtube.

@nates_welding: TIG welder. Bigger argon bottle. And make some money in the shop.

@Hendersonmobile: Get busy enough with my rig to quit my day job.

@86kofen13: Get my contractors license.

@garageboundllc: To acquire my first robotic cell.

@Spotn wants to build a stainless exhaust for his FZ6 sports bike.

One person speaks of healing while others look toward self-improvement.

@neweraoutlaws: Try to retrain myself after severe nerve damage in my arm. Get back to the things I enjoy. Glass of bourbon and skilled trades!

@Amigo_arts: Im hoping to slow down a bit and pay more attention to craft and technique. I feel like Im always running on fire and it hurts my craftsmanship a bit. Im also not a fully educated welder in proper technique or theory. I want to learn more about that.

@metalmasterhawley: Get a new welding hood! And finding more patience for new people!!!

@myllamadakota: Get into another career that pays worth a damn.

As for that last one ... well, its my personal resolution to push for change that would mean you can earn that pay without needing to change careers!

Good luck to you and your 2020!

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Real welders share their New Year's resolutions - The Fabricator

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February 2nd, 2020 at 4:44 pm

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Massaponax grad is 2019 Military Instructor of the Year finalist – Fredericksburg Today

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A 2006 graduate of Massaponax High School and Fredericksburg, native was announced as a 2019 Military Instructor of the Year (MIOY) finalist in the officer category for Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) at a ceremony onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, Jan. 23.

As an instructor for the Navy Instructor Training Course, at a learning site with a throughput of approximately 1,200 students, I take pride in knowing I directly impact the quality of instruction our Sailor and Marines receive out in the fleet, said Baker.

Baker was one of 10 Sailors who competed for the title of NETC MIOY, representing the top achievers from a pool of more than 8,000 military members in MyNavy HR Force Development that spans recruiting and training Sailors in an increasingly competitive talent market. She received a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for her achievements.

As the Region East director, she leads and manages five geographically dispersed learning sites and 66 personnel responsible for the instruction of 24 professional development, supply and administration courses. Her efforts ensured they delivered over 3,500 podium hours.

These courses influence the lives of every Sailor who utilizes the services of their commands DAPA (Drug and Alcohol Program Advisor) and CMEO (Command Managed Equal Opportunity), as well as influences the training of the logistics specialist, retail services specialist, culinary specialist, personnel specialist and yeoman ratings, said Baker. Due to the scope of my current position, I find my job extremely rewarding, and I do not take lightly the responsibility I have to the fleet and its Sailors and Marines.

Baker is part of the team that takes Sailors from street to fleet by transforming civilians into highly skilled, operational, and combat-ready warfighters, as well as providing the tools and opportunities for continuous learning and development.

NETC Commander Rear Adm. Kyle Cozad congratulated the finalists for their roles in developing the Navys future force and for their contributions to the Force Development mission.

As we recognize the outstanding contributions of these individuals, it is also fitting to reflect upon the critical role each of them plays in support of Fleet readiness, said Cozad. Your hard work and professionalism produce the best Sailors, Marines, Soldiers, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen in the world. I truly appreciate your personal commitment in meeting the continuous and evolving needs of our Navy and Marine Corps team.

Baker has a bachelors degree in political science from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, and a masters degree in manpower systems analysis from Naval Postgraduate School, Monterrey, California.

Baker is also qualified as a master training specialist, which is a designation for demonstrating highly effective teaching skills and a comprehensive understanding of schoolhouse management, as well as for taking a leadership role in mentoring, instructing and evaluating instructors and curriculum. She helped guide five other instructors to attain this qualification.

These outstanding Sailors and Marines were selected from an extremely talented field of candidates who epitomize the honor, courage, and commitment of military personnel throughout MyNavy HR Force Development, said NETC Force Master Chief Karim Cole.

The NETC MIOY program recognize Sailors throughout the NETC domain who exhibit attributes, such as sustained superior performance, leadership, mentorship, knowledge and teaching of military history and heritage, self-improvement, command and community involvement, and exemplary military bearing.

For additional information on the Naval Education and Training Command, visit the NETC website: https://www.netc.navy.mil or http://www.navy.mil/local/cnet/. Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/netcpao.

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Massaponax grad is 2019 Military Instructor of the Year finalist - Fredericksburg Today

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February 2nd, 2020 at 4:44 pm

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Why I will only date men who go to therapy – Vox.com

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First-person essays and interviews with unique perspectives on complicated issues.

In 2020, I am vowing to only date men committed to prioritizing their emotional and mental health. If he doesnt go to therapy, Im not interested.

In my last serious relationship, I had both the benefit of exploring my toxic behavior patterns and the burden of being with a partner who refused to do the same. Our relationship started to shift when, during the height of an argument, I grew frustrated when my attempts at helping him solve a problem were being ignored. He followed up, like he often did, by screaming at the top of his lungs. Then he said something that snatched the movement from my body: Im not your project or something you can control.

This was my second relationship where what I called the lack of appreciation for my help my partner called controlling. I realized I was the common denominator here.

What started as an exploration of trying to understand my own harmful behaviors ended in a commitment to therapy. There, I learned to call my attraction to broken men something more than a lack of gratitude or control; the illusion of fixing them allowed me to ignore all the areas where I was fractured. It allowed me to overlook the ways childhood traumas shaped my current relationship choices. It was classic avoidance.

For months, I remained both in the relationship and in therapy to do the deeper work on myself. I directed my gaze away from scrutinizing his behavior and toward addressing the root of my own. I practiced mindfulness to reduce anxiety, used journaling to record and disrupt unhealthy patterns, and rotated coping mechanisms until I found one that fit. I was slowly forming healthy new habits. The need to control others was replaced by a desire for self-improvement.

Meanwhile, he refused to go to therapy or even examine his own harmful patterns. He saw therapy as a useless waste of time that had nothing to do with real life. Besides, nobody in his family believed in that stuff and they all turned out fine.

My former partner was not an anomaly. According to the American Psychological Association, research shows men of all ages and ethnicities are less likely than women to seek help for all sorts of problems including depression and substance abuse. Which is particularly alarming considering the data that suggests men make up over 75 percent of suicide victims in the United States.

OBrien Wimbish, a clinically trained therapist who specializes in intimacy and infidelity recovery, told Vox, A lot of men are still operating under an unhealthy belief that addressing their feelings isnt masculine. They think talking about their emotions or even identifying an emotion other than rage can make them what they consider soft. So they shut down, or sometimes become more aggressive, in their interpersonal relationships.

Wimbish, who has never treated me or my former partner, offered a perspective that was consistent with my experience. During the course of our relationship, my former partners propensity for screaming escalated to name-calling, and conflicts reached an all-time high. Or perhaps my tolerance for toxic relationships hit at an all-time low. But eventually, his version of love was no longer enough. I wanted reciprocity.

I ended that relationship aware that constant self-work is a prerequisite for an emotionally healthier life and, if both parties are committed to it, the possibility of a healthy relationship.

To be clear, therapy is not a magic pill. Committing to therapy does not mean your relationship will be immune to trials, Wimbish said, but it certainly helps if both parties are fully invested in doing the work for their individual growth.

Therapy is also not cheap. Mental health providers in many cities can charge $75-$150 for a 45-minute session. Rates in New York City can be upward of $200 per hour. Therapists like Wimbish mitigate this by offering a sliding scale for payments. Sometimes, when the cost is still too high for me, I scale back and reserve sessions for particularly stressful seasons. And if a sliding payment scale is still a financial burden, research suggests regular practices of things like mindful meditation and creating a positive social support system can be forms of self-work. Wimbish added, establishing an accountability system centered around a self-improvement goal can increase success and sustainability.

Theres also the fact that therapy doesnt work if you dont apply it once the session is over. As Wimbish said, You will not get the full benefits of therapy sessions without doing the homework assigned. It requires a personal commitment outside of my office. If therapy has taught me anything, its taught me that the real work starts when you go home and use a new coping skill in response to stress or anxiety, instead of engaging in a familiar unhealthy habit.

These days, I have refined my approach to dating. Now, during that early stage when a man mentions how long hes been single, instead of inquiring about the details of the breakup, I ask how he managed the healing process. I recently met a guy who wasnt alarmed by the question. Without pause, he identified a couple of healthy coping strategies provided by his therapist. This on its own does not mean he will be the best partner for me. Rather, it suggests that he recognizes self-work as an individual process, one that he isnt socialized to be ashamed of. Which is a healthy start.

Shanita Hubbard is a former therapist, current adjunct sociology professor, and the author of the upcoming book Miseducating: A Womans Guide to Hip-Hop.

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Why I will only date men who go to therapy - Vox.com

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February 2nd, 2020 at 4:44 pm

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What Happened To Racing? – SwimSwam

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"Walking around the pool deck, speaking to my own athletes or listening to the conversations of others, times are often the only focus." Stock photo via Jack Spitser/Spitser Photography

SwimSwams daily swimming workout series is a collection of workouts written by coaches from a variety of backgrounds. All daily

SwimSwams daily swimming workout series is a collection of workouts written by coaches from a variety of backgrounds. All daily

SwimSwams daily swimming workout series is a collection of workouts written by coaches from a variety of backgrounds. All daily

If you dont like the career youre in, you might want to work in the swimming community and be a part of our swimming family! Go here to see 2650 Swim Jobs.

By Dr. Zachary Hojnacki

How Was Your Race?

Coach: Good job, how do you feel about that swim?

Swimmer: *shakes head* That was terrible.

Coach: Why do you feel that way your stroke technique was strong and efficient, and you executed the race well.

Swimmer: Because I added

Our program recently traveled across the country from New York to Arizona to compete in a terrific and uniquely formatted competition hosted by Phoenix Swim Club called the Arizona Dual Meet Championships. Aside from the benefits the team travel experience provided for our 14 & under athletes in their developmental process, the dual meet format brought out the best in our kids. It was a significant departure from the traditional weekend swim meet experience, where the emphasis is often on maximizing the number of events swum and personal best times achieved. This weekend was instead about racing: fighting for first not only for yourself, but for your team. Competition is pure and fun, and somewhat lacking in todays swim experience. I believe we have somewhat overcorrected and could benefit as a sport from shifting our emphasis back towards racing.

Where We Got Lost

I suspect that in the early stages of the sport, competition was the primary focus. Somewhere along the way, coaches and parents encouraged athletes to direct their attention towards improving their personal best times as a means to discourage obsessive comparisons to the success of other athletes, and to instead prioritize self-improvement. I agree that is a healthy and appropriate mindset, and that constant comparisons to other swimmers is a recipe for constant disappointment and discouragement.

However, it feels as though we have veered off course from what that mindset was originally intended to promote. Walking around the pool deck, speaking to my own athletes or listening to the conversations of others, times are often the only focus. Evaluation of race outcomes has become binary drop time = good swim, add time = bad swim. As athletes grow older and less frequently perform their personal bests, their relationship with the sport begins to sour. Even as they understand that a personal best time is not a realistic expectation at certain phases of the season, there is a tendency to compare times to past seasons or to other swimmers in an effort to project taper times. If those times dont meet the swimmers expectations, they are quick to panic and self-doubt creeps in. For some, there is a decreased willingness to compete in meets during the phases of training where fast swims are least likely, even as these competitions are important prerequisites for end-of-season breakthroughs.

What We Are Communicating to Young People

Parent: Nice racing today! 3 out of 4 best times! We just need to fix that backstroke!

Parent: What happened out there? Why were you so far off your best? Is something wrong?

Coach: *Emphatically* You dropped 3 seconds!

As adults, we are culpable here. Post-race feedback is often littered with discussion about races in terms of total time, proximity to best, etc., rather than objective evaluation on the basis of execution of strategy, technical proficiency, or in the context of training performances and goals. We reward athletes for achieving personal best times by congratulating them and affirming the accomplishments as if they were solely a reflection of effort. The truth is that personal best times can be accomplished with less than maximal effort and poor execution, while swims slower than your previous best can be effortful and flawlessly performed.

The Stats

I believe that the overemphasis on racing times is somewhat dangerous, particularly for older athletes. The national average improvement percentage for a 15-16-year-old girl in 2019 was .93%. The picture for 17-18 girls was bleaker still, with an average of negative .3%.When our communications exclusively reward personal bests and demand explanation for swims that fail to meet that criterion, it implies that swimming our best is merely a reinforceable behavior as opposed to a complex and challenging long-term pursuit. This also suggests failure is always controllable and completely avoidable which, in a sport where failure is incredibly common, is extremely demoralizing and simply not true.

It is important that our coaching leadership educate athletes on the impact growth and maturation has on performance in swimming, particularly for young girls. Besides keeping young people enrolled in the sport, perseverance often pays off for those that can transition into strong collegiate athletes. Each year, I sit down with our teenage swimmers to discuss how age and physical maturity may impact short-term outcomes in the near future. The examples of well-known Olympic athletes below illustrates how drawn out plateaus can be, but also how successfully navigating those challenging phases can pay dividends in the long-term.

Missy Franklin-

200 Bk:

Cammile Adams-

200 Fly:

Lets Race!

Which brings me back to my original point. I think its time to re-emphasize racing. In swimming, you have an opportunity to compete against seven or more others every time you dive in for a race. We are built to compete the human body responds physiologically to competitive demands by providing chemicals that enhance performance. It is often when athletes get caught up in a great battle against the person next to them that they are able to give additional effort and energy that leads to extraordinary performances for both parties. Competition has a winner and loser, which forces young people to learn how to be both. There is a subtle distinction between confidence and arrogance, or humility and self-deprecation, and we as a society will benefit from cultivating the former of each. Racing also draws attention to realistic expectations for athletes of similar ages and in season phases; as we work to educate our young swimmers on how the competition calendar interfaces with season training plans, we can point to others and note that competing well within your heat is reflective of the fact that you are on the right path.

This shift in tone is important and necessary because our sport is at times brutal and unforgiving. Swimming requires an incredible sacrifice of time and a comparatively absurd workload to many other sports and yet the payoffs are often infrequent. As coaches, our responsibility is to guide the swimmers through the hardest phases of the season so they can see success at the end of the tunnel. I think by encouraging and rewarding racing too, instead of simply performances times, we will find that our swimmers have another way to measure success, and subsequently have more fun and are more motivated as they see progress in one area when the other is stagnant, and vice versa. More importantly, I think it encourages a healthier relationship with the sport that could address some of the issues of attrition and end-of-career plateau that we too often see.

Coach: Lets not obsesses about how much you added or dropped from your personal best. Lets discuss your racing splits, technical proficiency, and strategy in relation to recent training markers, the current season phase and your long-term goals. What does this race tell us about how we can continue to improve our daily preparation?

Parent: You raced hard today and Im proud of you. I always love watching you swim.

Key Takeaways

In my doctoral research at Arizona, I studied the roles that mindfulness and acceptance play in regulating performance under pressure in sports. There is compelling evidence that suggests that adopting a mindful, non-judgmental approach to daily practice in sports can enhance long-term performance outcomes (Gooding & Gardner, 2009; Thompson et al., 2011; Zhang et al., 2016). I posit that this is in part because athletes that practice this approach are able to separate their emotional responses from their objective evaluations of performance outcomes and are therefore more likely to learn from failure and remain motivated. This is a daily approach to sports that leads to more consistency and effort over time, which ultimately is the key to success in anything. We can contribute to this healthier attitude about performance by being mindful of what we say to young people about their performances, encourage using multiple objective measures to evaluate outcomes. Finally, lets remember that swimming is not just about times, but also racing. I think we would all do well to remind ourselves of that.

Zac is currently the head coach of the BGNW Marlins in Mount Kisco, NY. He swam for the University of Arizona from 2009-2012, qualifying for the 2012 Olympic Trials in the 200 breaststroke, and the 2013 World Championship Trials in the 100 breaststroke. In 2017, he received a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Arizona, where he studied the role stress and mindfulness play on athlete performance under pressure. Zac is passionate about utilizing athlete education to develop a well-rounded, self-sufficient person in and out of the pool.

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What Happened To Racing? - SwimSwam

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February 2nd, 2020 at 4:44 pm

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Books, Basketball, and Brotherhood: Harris and Thybulle’s Growing Bond | Philadelphia 76ers – Sixers.com

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Matisse Thybulle has met his rookie season with vocal gratitude, and a constant awareness of his uniquely rapid rise into national consciousness. Exceeding expectations consistently (except for, perhaps, his own), Thybulle has earned widespread respect - from peers, coaches, and fans alike.

Tobias Harris has been pieces of all three of those roles when it comes to the rookie: part colleague, part authority figure, part fan.

Since training camp in October, Harris has emerged as one of the most positive and expressive presences in the 76ers locker room as the team navigates its pursuit of a championship. Calling his own number when it comes to leadership both on and off the court, Harris has fostered a special relationship with Thybulle.

Though only five years apart in age (Harris, 27, Thybulle, 22), each player refers to the other as his brother, little and big, respectively.

From sitting beside Thybulle on the team plane, to offering thoughtful advice, Harris has been a constant presence throughout the course of Thybulles rookie campaign.

Harris began investing in Thybulles potential as a basketball player during their first days together playing pickup in the summer. Independently, they each spoke publicly about their bond about a month and a half into the season, after a Dec. 10 win over Denver. Harris applauded Thybulles ability to carve out his own niche among a team filled with All-Star talent.

Hes an amazing player, an amazing person, an amazing rookie too. Hes really catching his stride now, Harris said.

Minutes later, Thybulle took the podium. He threw the praise right back:

Aside from being an amazing example, [Tobias has] been like a big brother. I seek him for all my questions, whether its financially, on the court, off the court - I go to him. Hes done it at a very high level for a while now, and I really look up to him in that sense. Hes been able to be a huge role model for me.

In the following month, adversity made the relationship stronger, as Thybulle missed seven games due to a knee injury. While the no. 20 pick was forced to take time away from the court, Harris support and guidance was unwavering.

Thybulle attributed his quick return to a high level of play to his consistent routine while injured.

A steadfast part of that routine was familiarizing himself with each opponents scouting report, and getting subsequently quizzed on the material by Harris.

Hes about a B+ student right now, Harris joked at the time.

Not only did Thybulle return strong from his injury, he stepped fearlessly into six consecutive appearances in the starting lineup while Joel Embiid was out with an injury of his own.

Thybulles part-time big brother, part-time tutor was proud of what he saw.

Midway through that starting stretch, Thybulle and Harris took time to reflect on the season, their friendship, and their passions outside of basketball during a trip to Strand Book Store in New York City.

[Matisse] is a good rookie. He pays attention. He comes to work every day - not only that, but he brings a lot to the table for our team, Harris said. With more and more games, and with more experience, hes going to continue to blossom into a full-on, complete player, thats going to be a beast soon.

The night before Thybulle and Harris' visit to the Strand, Hall-of-Famer and eight-time All-Star Steve Nash visited the Sixers locker room at Madison Square Garden following their victory over the Knicks.

Growing up in Arizona, Thybulle idolized Nash. Noticing his little brothers excitement, Harris insisted on making a formal introduction.

Less than 24 hours later, another meaningful introduction was made.

Along with sharing the same profession, Thybulle and Harris share a love for a couple other things - reading, a relentless curiosity, a desire for self-improvement, and lightheartedly teasing one another.

Towering above the other patrons at the world-renowned Manhattan bookstore, Thybulle gravitated towards books on photography, while Harris explored the architecture section - each player taking time to share knowledge with his brother.

But one book in particular caught both players eyes upon entering the store: Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates.

In a moment of perfect serendipity, Coates himself was browsing the shelves upstairs at the Strand. While Harris and Thybulle are accustomed to meeting adoring fans, this time, it was the two Sixers who had to make their own introductions.

Walking away from the brief meeting with Coates, each player lit up with excitement.

Both of the books that Ive read from him are truly impactful. I think hes a great author, Harris said. What he stands for in the African American community is bigger than that too.

From one class act making a profound difference in his community to another.

(Its never a bad time - but this is a particularly good time - to mention that just a few months ago, Harris donated $1 million to education and literacy-based charities in Philadelphia and around the country.)

Its no wonder he had such a memorable experience at an old bookstore.

Harris and Thybulle have each vocalized, on numerous occasions, the heartfelt gratitude they feel for their positions as NBA players. Theyve also each acknowledged the challenges that come with life in the spotlight.

For Thybulle, all the attention is still relatively new.

Were in such a unique situation being NBA players. Not too many people can relate to what our lives are like. To have someone whos close enough in age that weve gone through similar things, and [Tobias is] not far removed from the struggles Im going through right now, but old enough to have made it through, and made it to the other side, and learned all the lessons, is invaluable.

From summertime pickup, to battling in the trenches of the regular season, as time goes on, their bond continues to strengthen.

It might be a little early to start talking about legacy, but the mark that the still-young Harris aspires to leave on his younger teammates is a significant one.

This is my ninth year, and this is his first year, Harris said. I just want to show him the ropes of the game, and at the end of the day, make sure that when hes in year nine, that hes doing the same thing to whoever else is coming in.

Thybulles ninth year is still a long ways away. But given all hes learning from Harris, the rookies of 2028 could find themselves in good hands.

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Books, Basketball, and Brotherhood: Harris and Thybulle's Growing Bond | Philadelphia 76ers - Sixers.com

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February 2nd, 2020 at 4:44 pm

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And Another Thing: War and Peace – Nashville Scene

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I think Tolstoy scholars would agree with me here: This material is pretty tight

Ashley Spurgeon is a lifelong TV fan nay, expert and with her recurring television and pop-culture column "And Another Thing," she'll tell you what to watch, what to skip, and what's worth thinking more about.

War and Peace maybe youve heard of it? According to the first sentence of the second paragraph of the Wikipedia entry on the book, War and Peace chronicles the French invasion of Russia and the impact of the Napoleonic era on tsarist society through the stories of five Russian aristocratic families. But more than that, it has a reputation, at least in the English-speaking world (and stop me if Im wrong), of being a hard thing to read, based primarily on criteria like its really thick and there too many characters, and they all have foreign names.

Currently, ya girl is on a self-improvement kick: For me, that involves a lot more reading and a lot less everything else. And if youre gonna go, why not go hard? So War and Peace it is I know next to nothing about Russia and even less about Napoleon, and in fact, I cant stand battle scenes or war in general. But I come bearing good news: War and Peace is nowhere near as difficult a read as Ive let myself believe the chapters are quite short (which makes sense, since it started as a serialized story), and the characters are distinct (Denisov is the one with the speech impediment, Dolohov is the psycho who ties a live bear to a policeman and dumps them both in the river).

Honestly, I would have started this a lot sooner if I had been informed of things like the bear and the policeman, or how one of the main characters is going through a really rough personal time so, like you do, he joins the Freemasons. War and Peace is working for me, because hey, it turns out the very famous thing that has been much beloved in dozens of languages for like 150 years is and I think Tolstoy scholars would agree with me here pretty fuckin tight.

But at the end of the day, Im still a dumb American, and I wanted my hand held. Before I started reading, I first watched the War and Peace miniseries from 2016 starring Paul Dano, James Norton and Lily James. (In the U.S., it aired on the Lifetime network, which makes War and Peace my second-favorite Paul Dano Lifetime made-for-TV movie, right behind Too Young to Be a Dad.) Dano is Pierre Bezukhov (the aforementioned Mason), Norton is Prince Andrei Bolkonsky (something of a mirror character to Pierre), and James ... well, shes Natasha, who somehow has to grow from Moscows most beloved 13-year-old to young woman who came of age during brutal wartime.

Im on the record as a fan of the miniseries as a form of television, and here it works exactly as I want it to: As a beginners guide to a larger, more resonant story. For instance, the Bear + Cop + River = Good Times scene was portrayed like a hungover flashback, and honestly, it was kind of hard to tell what was going down. But trust me its clear in the book. A dueling scene is played as a cliffhanger from one episode to the next; in the book, it quickly skips along over just a few paragraphs.

Probably the most helpful aspect of the watch-and-read is putting faces to names. Even if I dont literally imagine Paul Dano as Pierre (and I dont, I imagine someone much bigger and more physically awkward), Pierre is a Paul Danotype you know, a bit of a galoot compared to his friend. (Nortons Andrei looks like this.) Gillian Anderson is much younger than the Anna Pavlovna in my head, and really, the opening party scene at Annas St. Petersburg home is one of my only quibbles with the TV production. (My primary objection is with the womens gowns, which were way too modern.)

But for the most part, the adaptation appears faithful that said, Im still just roughly halfway through ... only about 30 more hours of reading to go! You feel the gravity of major deaths, believe so-and-so when they say theyre in love with so-and-so, the military and battle scenes build the sense of dread, and the internal character moments that come off in the book as transcendent, religious and meaningful are horseshoe-close enough to the spirit without reading as corny. Also, I love watching good actors act. Brian Cox as General Mikhail Kutuzov became one of my favorite parts of the adaptation, and Ive spent the past week or so falling in love with Jessie Buckley, who plays Andreis sister Marya as always being on the verge of tears.

Its also been fun to measure my reactions to the same scenes in adaptation and source. Natashas peasant dance is a sweet character moment on screen; when I read it, I was sobbing. The Battle of Austerlitz, the Battle of Borodino, difficult to watch. On page, looking inside the heads of the doomed men brought to those places by patriotism, money, self-regard, curiosity, duty, fear, chance, the vanity of Bonaparte, makes it even more difficult to read.

Nevertheless: Good thing good! proclaims local critic. It became pretty funny to me, pretty early on, that self-improvement was the reason for my reading War and Peace, and thats also the goal of Pierre and Andrei, and really, the book (but I thought it was about the effect of the Napoleonic era on Tsarist society?!). So Im using my TV column to encourage book-reading, with the aid of television. Join me, so youll know exactly how funny it is when I start calling dudes Book I Andrei as an insult.

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And Another Thing: War and Peace - Nashville Scene

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February 2nd, 2020 at 4:44 pm

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Kobe Bryant has left this earth but his life lessons linger | TheHill – The Hill

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Long before the final buzzer ought to have sounded, perhaps even before half time, Kobe Bryants transcendent life was snatched from NBA fans everywhere. The outpouring of grief from across the world shows how one man did not just shut up and dribble, but instead exemplified the highest ideals of sport.

If elite sport is a metaphor for lifes many battles the primeval competition for success, triumph over adversity, and endurance then Bryant was its warrior king. Even accounting for the fact that tragic deaths invite encomiastic obituaries, his demise reminds us of the many leadership lessons contained in his 41 years.

First, it is impossible to excel without melding talent with hard work. While the clich that hard work beats talent every time is not quite accurate, it is true that in competition between supremely talented people, those who combine talent with hard work prevail. This has been confirmed by research and there is perhaps no better example than Bryant.

After losing to the Miami Heat in a regular-season game in March 2011, for example, Bryant continued to practice late into the night, well after everyone had left the building. Despite being the best player, he outworked everyone and was known for berating teammates who did not have the same work ethic or commitment to excellence. Just ask Smush Parker.

Second, he had an all-consuming desire to win. You cant lead by losing. Bryant took no prisoners basketball was a zero-sum game for him. This was especially true in the second half of his career, when he rose above a pursuit of individual glory to emphasize team victory. And when his teammates play would not assure victory, he took it upon himself to will his team to victory recall the Game 6 Western Conference finals victory over the Phoenix Suns in 2010, when Bryant scored 37 points on 25 shots while playing on a team with elite scorers such as Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum. Gasol, Odom and Bynum took a combined 26 shots, scoring just 25 points, meaningBryant had to carry the team to victory.

Third, lifes battles require an indomitable will. Bryants leadership style was not just to win but to dominate all competition through sheer willpower. Nothing seemed to faze him, not Raja Bell clotheslining him in a 2006 playoff game, or Matt Barnes threatening to throw the ball in his face. In both instances, Bryant exhibited disdain rather than anger and kept his concentration on the task at hand: winning. Contrast this with other players who react to provocations with bad behavior of their own, to the detriment of their team. Bryant even shot free throws against the Golden State Warriors after tearing his Achilles tendon in 2013.

Fourth is resilience to overcome adversity. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the 2003 rape accusation and the years of abuse from opposing fans in arenas around the country. Bryant adopted the Black Mamba identity, and went about turning haters into his fans with sheer brilliance. Another man might have bemoaned the injustice of losing lucrative deals; Nike, McDonalds and other companies dropped him after the accusation. But Bryants resilience meant that Nike embraced him again, and fans eventually yielded him grudging respect.

Fifth, one needs self-awareness and accountability. When the criminal charges were dropped and the civil suit settled, Bryant apologized to his accuser and expressed contrition. On the basketball court, he recognized that his uncompromising approach to leadership was not working. The Lakers were losing and his teammates were disengaged. Bryant held himself accountable and transformed his leadership by sharing the load and including others in a way he had not done previously. The partnership with Pau Gasol stands as an example.

Sixth, Bryant showed an incessant commitment to self-improvement. Like most geniuses, he knew that the better is the enemy of the good. He was like a sponge, soaking up knowledge in business, entertainment and publishing in a way that was unprecedented for a man of his success. He also could have soaked up the applause like so many great athletes and coasted on what he did best, but his hunger elevated him to become a transcendent star who exceeded his sport. Perhaps no other elite athlete has won an Oscar or published childrens books, or accomplished as much in diverse areas of business with so little formal education.

Finally, a leaders true greatness lies in what he contributes to the growth of others. Bryant mentored people in sports and other domains, drawing from the well of highs and lows he had experienced. Aside from those he touched directly people such as tennis stars Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka he inspired millions who experienced tragedies in their own lives. He showed them that they could overcome, too, if they had his will and work ethic.

The Black Mamba will live on in the memories of millions of fans not just for the 33,000 points or MVP awards, but for the unique brand of leadership he exhibited. Kobe wrote in his poem, "Dear Basketball":

I fell in love with you. A love so deep I gave you my all From my mind & body To my spirit & soul.

He may well have been speaking about all his years on earth, when he gave us his all. RIP, Mamba.

Sandeep Gopalan (@DrSGopalan) is vice chancellor and executive vice president of academic affairs at Piedmont International University in North Carolina. He previously was a professor of law and pro vice chancellor for academic innovation at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. He has co-chaired American Bar Association committees on aerospace/defense and international transactions, was a member of the ABAs immigration commission, and was dean of law schools in Ireland and Australia. He has taught law in four countries.

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Kobe Bryant has left this earth but his life lessons linger | TheHill - The Hill

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February 2nd, 2020 at 4:44 pm

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Self-awareness: an indispensable tool when it comes to innovation – Training Journal

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Reading time: 4 minutes

Increasingly, I work with leaders who use design thinking, agile development, and other innovation-growing methodologies. In my experience these tools are at their most potent when used by highly self-aware people.

No matter what methods or techniques your organisation uses to increase innovative capabilities, individuals, teams and leaders all benefit that much more when they are operating from a place of higher self-awareness.

Self-aware employees are sure of their strengths and gifts in any situation, can guard against unconscious biases, and know how to bring everyone else along with them in their quest for innovative success.

Self-aware people also understand why others are different to them, and find it easier to have empathy for those whose shoes theyve never walked in.

No matter what role people hold, or which problem theyve been asked to creatively solve, there are a range of ways in which they can access their spirit of innovation and bring a fresh perspective to even the oldest problems.

Open your mind with empathy

When we think through a problem, we need to put ourselves in the shoes of the person who will become the end user.

What will they need? What problems do they need help solving? What will the potential solution feel like or look like, how will it work or be accessed?

Self-awareness is our strongest tool. We must use it to empower ourselves to build a career and a life thats designed for who we are and how we want to live

These kinds of questions are a great jumping-off point when youre looking for an innovative solution to a business challenge.

Exercise idea: Find someone who is an opposite type of person to you and ask each other a series of questions around a topic or subject matter; dig a bit deeper on their answers and later you can consider what was similar and different about the answers you both gave. Great for limbering up your empathy!

Good communication makes great collaboration

Part of self-awareness is knowing both how you communicate, and how well you communicate. Having the best ideas in the world will get you nowhere if you dont land them well with the others in the room.

Knowing who youre talking to, and what theyll need from you in order to get behind your idea is key; how you pitch your idea to the team will be the thing that makes it stand or fall.

Exercise idea: To give everyone an opportunity to input into idea generation and conversation you need to be aware of the preferences of everyone involved.

Some people will happily speak up, others will appreciate solo reflection time, others will enjoy interactive exercises.

Make it your job to find out what motivates other people, and make space for their communication style too.

Look back and learn

Simply landing on a solution and implementing it well isnt the end of the process. We should all be lifelong learners.

Part of the innovation process is reflecting on how you showed up as the project unfolded the good, the bad, and the ugly.

There should never be an end-point in your journey of self-awareness, and looking at how you perform in an innovative environment can be one of the steeper parts of the learning curve.

Exercise idea: Ask for feedback from others on how they saw you perform. How do they think you could be even more effective? What could you stop, start, and continue doing?

If youre truly honest with yourself, do you have blind spots in your perception of your performance?

Use your failures to move you forward

Much like innovation, self-awareness isnt something you are going to get right every time. We should take every failure as an opportunity to learn and improve.

In both innovation and self-awareness, we can be clear on what success looks like for us. Whether its a project output or a successful meeting, having a good understanding of this can help you assess whether you achieved it or not.

Exercise idea: Create a journal of failures or feedback that indicates room for improvement. Reflect on these how can you improve next time? What will you learn from this?

Go back and note how you iterated your approach to overcome this failure the next time; was it more successful?

These self-awareness techniques can be used or repeated at any stage of the innovation process. Self-awareness is our strongest tool. We must use it to empower ourselves not only in an innovative environment, but to build a career and a life thats designed for who we are and how we want to live.

About the author

Kim Anderson is a designer for Insights

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Self-awareness: an indispensable tool when it comes to innovation - Training Journal

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