One day I will put my own heart picture on my web, but for now this will have to do. For those heart surgeons and med students out there, I apologize for taking such liberties with my metaphor.
P.L.A.Y.
Practice. Learning. Actualization. Yo-Yo.
Practice corresponds to the flat line.
Learning takes place on the up beat.
Actualization is that wonderful moment when it all seems to be in the FLOW.
Yo-Yo is all that time spent wondering what the hell happened to the Flow and how the hell we get back there.
And then we are at the flatline.
I think of Practice as the study or art of creating habits. It is commonly referred to as the plateau and we all hate the plateaus. But, this is where most of life is lived so I guess we had better get used to it. It is actually the place in which we should strive to return and to maintain as long as possible- but not so long that we totally flatline since that would be the end of that TV show. Think of it this way, would you want to spend the day with your heart racing at 120+ beats per minute? Or cruise along with a heart that can take the load and still run somewhere between 60 and 80 bpm?
Believe me, it is the coming down from the workout high that is wonderful, not the being there.
Practice/plateau is also the stage of recovery. It is here that lessons learned can be put into context, muscles can re-build and life can go back to "normal". Rest is vital to any training regimen.
Learning is the training. We want to stress ourselves with challenges that are just about NOT do-able. We want to experience enough success to keep going without disrupting our regular heart beat too much or too often. It is not a comfortable place, but it is an exciting place. Most of the time we are not actually present but rather are totally focused on our objective.
Actualization is what we all think is the goal. It is that great moment when things just click and you swear you walk with the angels. Are at least just a few steps behind. But it is not a sustainable place. To make this the goal is to insist that your heart beat faster and faster, you do not allow yourself rest, you do not make repairs or learn the lessons. But Lord, it is a fine view while you are up there.
Yo-Yo.
The trip down and up and down and down and up.
You will find yourself unable to stop talking. You will find yourself wanting feedback, being overly emotional, you will be moody. You will try and succeed, you will try and fail. The harder you cling to the last peak, the longer you will spend in free fall. You NEED. This is the state of being which makes one seak out a coach. This is the playground for coaches. The fitter the client, the sooner they will bounce back to their flat-line and be ready for another cycle.
lub-dub-lub-dub-lub-dub.
This is the one constant in your entire existence. It can be manipulated, injured or trained, but ultimately it is solid. Like change. Like your mind. Learning to listen to your heart is a great way to learn how to live one's life.
Besides, it is yours.
So, PLAY is my model for coaching as it is my model for existence. And I do mean the word as well as the acronym.
To be continued.
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