This morning I was a test subject for an upcoming Parkour Workshop that my friend Shaun Wood is running. We spent two hours going through some different methods for jumping, rolling, balancing and clearing objects.
In one section, we were “precision jumping” from one object to another, maybe 2.5m apart. This means you jump and you have to land “exactly,” without over-jumping.
As we adapted, we raised both the height and the distance between the objects.
Interestingly, as we increased the distance, there was a pretty seamless progression and we all advanced easily.
As we increased the height, even a little bit, there was a distinct shift in the internal feeling. The fear.
Some of us stopped and had to regress the distance considerably based on this new height.
In our work, this distance jumped is our “output.” The “busy-ness” we are capable of. The amount of “work” we can fit into the day (productive or otherwise.) A capacity in a way.
In the day to day cycle, this is both easy and tempting to increase, in particular with small tasks.
The increase in height however, is a clear shift in emotional resilience. There is no change in output, but the consequence seems higher. This is our work that feels risky.
It is easy to become busy.
It is difficult to create work that goes out to the world and can be judged. It is difficult to climb up higher and contribute. Not only might you be seen or exposed up there, but it feels like you might fall.
This morning though, as we adapted to the height, it did become easier. Because after all, the width wasn’t too hard at all. It was just fear, plain and simple.
The same is true for our work. Our projects. As we adapt to new projects, or new “heights,” we learn to keep going – through a different kind of fear. Furthermore, the positive flip side is that when we push the height limit, our work can be seen by more people. Perhaps even the people we are looking for. Then we have a chance to create change.
Shaun’s website will be up soon. In the meantime, check out his work here. Pretty amazing stuff.
