The Real Con 085 - Consistency

Soft skills to live in a hard world. Seeking wisdom, discipline and more to leave my surroundings a little better than I found it…

Hey everyone,

Michael here!

What do these cities have in common?

• Irving, TX

• Fort Myers, FL

• Cape Coral, FL

• Naples, FL

• Kissimmee, FL 

• Orlando,FL

• St. Augustine, FL

• Jacksonville, FL

• Phoenix, AZ

• Glendale, AZ

Seemingly random, yet all connected. These are the places I have been this week. I travel a lot. I’m writing this newsletter after finally getting to sit quietly at home.

Although this is not the first ever newsletter you received from me, this is the first newsletter from my new series! I wanted a change. I wanted to spice things up a little with a new structure and approach. I hope you enjoy it.

Here are 3 quotes, the most interesting thing I learned this week, 1 essay, and 1 question to reflect on.

3 Quotes

“Let him that would move the world first move himself.” — Socrates

“Prototype your life. Try stuff instead of making grand plans.” — Kevin Kelly

“right presence of mind….This means that the mind or spirit is present everywhere, because it is nowhere attached to any particular place.” - Eugen Herrigel, Zen in the Art of Archery

The Most Interesting Thing I Learned this Week

“Concentrate on your breathing as if you had nothing else to do.” -The Master, from Zen in the Art of Archery.  

In his 6 years of teaching archery, the artless art, to the author, he passed on a simple technique that we all take for granted. Whether in Japan at the turn of the 20th century, or a modern urban setting today, breath is life and life is breath.

To me I am most alive when I am moving, breathing, and most certainly outdoors. In my travels I realized how important art and breath are to our health. Too often we forget to slow down and breathe. We forget to appreciate how great art makes us feel.

That is the point. Not to simply exist. But to live well.

Laws of Inertia

Newton’s first law states that if a body is at rest or moving at a constant speed in a straight line, it will remain at rest or keep moving in a straight line at constant speed unless it is acted upon by a force. 

Inertia and motion. They are one and the same. Both describe the idea of consistency. If you do nothing, nothing will persist. If you take action, results will persist.

Musashi, the famous Japanese swordsman, writes about the matter of rhythm. Reminding us to “investigate what is written here and train yourself thoroughly.”

He goes on to describe the rhythm of martial arts: 

“First, know the rhythm of balance [vis-a-vis your opponent], and be able to distinguish the rhythm of imbalance. Within the rhythms of large and small, slow and fast, know the rhythm of contact, the rhythm of space as well as the rhythm of resistance to rhythm. These are essential to the martial arts. If you are unable to discern the rhythm of resistance to your opponent’s rhythm, your martial art will not be correct.”  - Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings, The Earth Chapter

The essence of consistency is in showing up every day. It helps you to build a natural rhythm. If you are always rushing, frantically disconnected from your body and your breath, you will find yourself fighting a losing battle against inertia. It will feel like you are up against an immovable force. 

If you plan ahead, it becomes easier to plan ahead. If you practice saying no, it becomes easier to manage your time and attention. If you focus on the artless art and the techniques to improve your well-being, you will find yourself in a stronger position.

1 Question to Reflect on

Are you aware of the various rhythms in your life - your breath, your work, your space, your resistance?

In Closing...

Hope you liked the new format. 

Any feedback, suggestion, or criticism is welcome: feel free to reply (if you got this in your inbox) or send an email to [email protected].

Stay sharp,

Michael

#085

The Real Con

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