Last weekend myself and three friends went mountain boarding with http://www.ridethehill.com and had a great afternoon, basically wobbling about on boards on wheels and trying to look cool!
As a snowboarder I was interested to see whether this would translate into good performance or not .... and the answer is ... yes and no!
Yes ... in that I wasn't fazed by going sideways down a hill on a moving object ... [thank you state management!]
No ... in that my muscle memory for riding a snowboard kept kicking in and my feet kept coming out of the bindings!
Applying my NLP and Sport Psychology knowledge I spent a lot of my time thinking about what I needed to do, but it was only with reflection that I sorted out what worked and what didn't ... and why!
You see, I have spent so much time 'perfecting' [loosely] the skills of snowboarding that all the micro movements you do to execute any movements are embedded deep in my muscle memory (or as we know it, unconscious competence) and as such, these kept coming to the fore ... but with a mountain board it's the same yet different!
As a consequence I had to consciously think to push my ankles out and stay 'locked' to the board, instead of instinctively knowing what to do, and as such, I spent a lot of time in conscious [relative] competence that when things got a little hairy (and they did, believe me!), I went back to what I knew and as such ended up in the wrong place or worse - flat on my back!
Not only that, my first real wipeout resulted in a very embarrasing rip to my trousers, which was only covered up [literally!] by the very padded shorts the young instructor give me to save my blushes [and probably to save everyone else too - not good to lose customers over something like that!).
Although this was a fun birthday trip for my friend, this is what happens in all sports when we change our stance, alter our grip or need to unlearn a poorly executed skill so we can learn to do that skill more effectively. The only way we will do this is by making sure the changes are completed at the unconscious level, otherwise we end up going back to what we know ... and in my case, ending up on the floor!
I did feel towards the end that I was getting much better but I was aware of how much conscious thinking was going on - something that I don't do much of when I'm on the snow ...
A good reminder for me of how this process works, and thankfully it wasn't that painful ... physically anyway ... but I know I'm a long way off the unconscious competence I'd need on the mountain board to reach the level I have on a snowboard ... and although I'll definitely return to the grassy version, I'm very happy with my competence on the snow ... and not only that but the apres drinks are far more appealing at 1800 feet plus!!
Showing posts with label NLP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NLP. Show all posts
Wednesday, 13 August 2014
Monday, 4 August 2014
Sand in your toes ...
I've just had a fantastic weekend camping down on the south coast ... sunshine ... sea ... great friends ... and of course, fish and chips in the paper ... can't beat it!
I love the water and I love the sense of freedom and openess that brings ... you can't beat the feeling that having the sun on your skin and the warm sand in your toes brings as you sit watching everything unfold ...
I'm lucky enough to be godmum (is that a word?) to two amazing kids, and watching them play on the beach and seeing how they function so differently sent me off into differing thoughts about how psychology and the world in general has changed viewpoints over the last 30 odd years ...
The concept of paradigm shifts are common enough thinking in science, particularly with hindsight when people can look back and 'see' where the changes occured. (oh to be able to bottle that as my Mom used to say!!) Paradigm shifts are often misinterpreted or misused as Kuhn suggested, and as a marketing friend informed me recently, got used as a buzzword in the 90's so much so that people became oblivious to its use!
Interesting how ideas permeate into all sorts of areas and usages ... isn't it?
My sand based musings were more around the idea that certain 'things' come along and bring in a major change in people's thought-patterns. 'Things' that facilitate radical changes in areas such as personal beliefs and values and the consequential and (often) inevitable action and behaviour changes that arise because of these shifts.
Looking at the kids and pondering on what they're exploring and taking in, moment to moment, adding to their growth and development made me think about the influences in my life and where I've had a paradigm shift due to significant events changing my thinking ... and ok, I'm using the term paradigm shift loosely, but with hindsight that's how they feel, so bear with me on this one ...
... none of us would be who we are without these influences and the shifts that have got us there ... and taking the time to get sand in your toes is an important part of exploring and taking stock of life ... moment to moment ... so we can all continue to grow and develop too ... no matter what age of kids we all are ...
I love the water and I love the sense of freedom and openess that brings ... you can't beat the feeling that having the sun on your skin and the warm sand in your toes brings as you sit watching everything unfold ...
I'm lucky enough to be godmum (is that a word?) to two amazing kids, and watching them play on the beach and seeing how they function so differently sent me off into differing thoughts about how psychology and the world in general has changed viewpoints over the last 30 odd years ...
The concept of paradigm shifts are common enough thinking in science, particularly with hindsight when people can look back and 'see' where the changes occured. (oh to be able to bottle that as my Mom used to say!!) Paradigm shifts are often misinterpreted or misused as Kuhn suggested, and as a marketing friend informed me recently, got used as a buzzword in the 90's so much so that people became oblivious to its use!
Interesting how ideas permeate into all sorts of areas and usages ... isn't it?
My sand based musings were more around the idea that certain 'things' come along and bring in a major change in people's thought-patterns. 'Things' that facilitate radical changes in areas such as personal beliefs and values and the consequential and (often) inevitable action and behaviour changes that arise because of these shifts.
Looking at the kids and pondering on what they're exploring and taking in, moment to moment, adding to their growth and development made me think about the influences in my life and where I've had a paradigm shift due to significant events changing my thinking ... and ok, I'm using the term paradigm shift loosely, but with hindsight that's how they feel, so bear with me on this one ...
... none of us would be who we are without these influences and the shifts that have got us there ... and taking the time to get sand in your toes is an important part of exploring and taking stock of life ... moment to moment ... so we can all continue to grow and develop too ... no matter what age of kids we all are ...
Tuesday, 19 November 2013
Thought for today
Following a really interesting session with one of my coaching clients, I wanted to put 'pen to paper' and just say a little bit about the joy of coaching professionals who work in sport.
As a Sport Psychologist and founder of the first specified NLP training company for Sport, I find myself increasing using my experience and knowledge working with coaches in both Sport and Business to help them develop their personal and professional skills so that they achieve more of what's possible in their lives and careers. This is a 'slight' departure from the more athlete focused psychology work, however I get a real buzz out of working this way, as people have an enormous capacity for change and adaptation, which never fails to amaze and delight me.
Sport professionals in particular seem to intuitively understand the importance of 'working on self development', and maybe this stems from having played sport at a high level themselves - that strive to better themselves, bit by bit, area by area until we get to the more 'rounded package'.
Challenging our clients is what we do, and in sport, this is desired, expected and demanded as these are the things that force us out of our comfort zones and into the area for change.
But it's not just sport that demands this too - those working for performance in business want to be challenged into change too, and by embracing self development as a concept for change, being an elite performer in business is there for the taking ....
So, I guess my thought for today is 'why sit on your backside getting in the way of freedom, when you can experience the joy of life through flying by the seat of your pants'?
As a Sport Psychologist and founder of the first specified NLP training company for Sport, I find myself increasing using my experience and knowledge working with coaches in both Sport and Business to help them develop their personal and professional skills so that they achieve more of what's possible in their lives and careers. This is a 'slight' departure from the more athlete focused psychology work, however I get a real buzz out of working this way, as people have an enormous capacity for change and adaptation, which never fails to amaze and delight me.
Sport professionals in particular seem to intuitively understand the importance of 'working on self development', and maybe this stems from having played sport at a high level themselves - that strive to better themselves, bit by bit, area by area until we get to the more 'rounded package'.
Challenging our clients is what we do, and in sport, this is desired, expected and demanded as these are the things that force us out of our comfort zones and into the area for change.
But it's not just sport that demands this too - those working for performance in business want to be challenged into change too, and by embracing self development as a concept for change, being an elite performer in business is there for the taking ....
So, I guess my thought for today is 'why sit on your backside getting in the way of freedom, when you can experience the joy of life through flying by the seat of your pants'?
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