Yesterday, we talked about the perfection that comes with imperfect ideas. Today is a new day.
Now that I too am a teacher, I often find myself evaluating my own lessons. When I really know what I'm talking about I'm usually able to explain things really simply and concisely. When I come across difficult explanations I've caught myself making longer explanations than normal and trying to give a lot of examples. I've noticed this tendency in other people as well when talking about all sorts of things, not just making explanations. The more long-winded the explanation, the more of a hot mess it becomes.
A wise man once said that one should only say what is necessary. I had an interesting conversation with one of my students today about mastery. She mentioned the difference between a novice and master ballerina being their movement and posture. The master wastes no movements and has perfect form, making her elegant. I attributed this to martial arts and thought about how this principle applied to everything. In playing the piano, in the brush strokes you make on a canvas, relaxing your throat when singing, or the swiftness in which you enter commands into your keyboard. It is minimalism expressed in actions. We don't need a bunch of shit to live a rich life. The mark of mastery is how elegantly you can perform amazing feats.
Mastery is the art of simple-complexities.
As I continue working on being mindful I want to become better at expressing myself and focusing on what's most important. I'll be reflecting this in future posts as well.
Peace
"Words, like eyeglasses, blur everything they do not make clear." - Joseph JoubertSometimes talking too much can be a bad thing. When I think of my favorite teachers, they were always the ones that could explain things in the least amount of words. They knew the material well enough to explain it simply. Most importantly, they didn't have to repeat themselves because their explanations were already concise and easy to remember.
Now that I too am a teacher, I often find myself evaluating my own lessons. When I really know what I'm talking about I'm usually able to explain things really simply and concisely. When I come across difficult explanations I've caught myself making longer explanations than normal and trying to give a lot of examples. I've noticed this tendency in other people as well when talking about all sorts of things, not just making explanations. The more long-winded the explanation, the more of a hot mess it becomes.
A wise man once said that one should only say what is necessary. I had an interesting conversation with one of my students today about mastery. She mentioned the difference between a novice and master ballerina being their movement and posture. The master wastes no movements and has perfect form, making her elegant. I attributed this to martial arts and thought about how this principle applied to everything. In playing the piano, in the brush strokes you make on a canvas, relaxing your throat when singing, or the swiftness in which you enter commands into your keyboard. It is minimalism expressed in actions. We don't need a bunch of shit to live a rich life. The mark of mastery is how elegantly you can perform amazing feats.
Mastery is the art of simple-complexities.
As I continue working on being mindful I want to become better at expressing myself and focusing on what's most important. I'll be reflecting this in future posts as well.
Peace
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| Sometimes having less can have a stronger impact. |
Today's assignment: Practice saying only what is necessary.
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