DAY EIGHT - Persistence And Slow Victory

You may recall that I have, for some time, been "learning" the backstroke. Which is really to say attempting it. The coaches don't have to say much because the look on their face says, "I don't know what it is, but that's not quite right." So here's the scenario:

• Learning a new skill (backstroke)
• Some background knowledge
• Incorrect technique
• Sub-par performance (understatement, in my case)
• Emotions: frustrated, annoyed
• Thoughts: Everyone else seems to be able to do it (effortlessly) why can't I? How could it be this difficult? What am I doing wrong?
• Attitude: I'm going to figure this out!

 After about two months of thinking to myself that I really should try to learn that darn stroke..., it is starting to click. Starting. I have enough backstroke elements and technique to build on now. I'm not great at it.

But the onlooking coaches are now smiling - I think mostly from relief now, because they don't have to keep saying it's terrible! So I take it from the feedback that the stroke has been improving.

As I said, I'm no great backstroker, but, if I do say so myself, I am persistent. I keep at things I want to do successfully because it becomes a challenge. I also like to learn things. And here is the more important thing I am learning at this stage of our 3rd fitness challenge: Victory is sometimes not a momentary point in time, like the sudden  declaration: YOU CAN DO THE BACKSTROKE! Which, incidentally, has not happened yet. Victory, especially over physical skills or, perhaps well-established lifestyle patterns, is more of a slow grind. At the beginning, it can be exceptionally unrewarding, or even frustrating or discouraging.

Don't be surprised about that. Some, if not many, things are simply difficult. If I could challenge you at all through this, it would be to say become more persistent. Learn how to keep yourself at things you want to do. Expect setbacks and failures. In fact, learn all you can from them.

I really believe that the more we develop the physical, cognitive and emotional skills behind persistence, the better accomplishers we will become. Accomplishers are in the long game. They realize that life victories are usually slow and gradual.

Be persistent.

It's DAY SEVEN! What A Day!

No topic I could come up with today could eclipse (pardon the pun), yesterday's amazing science news. It took the cake. Elon Musk's SpaceX company successfully launched a heavy-payload rocket. The test payload: a Tesla Roadster - product of another of Musk's companies. At the wheel of the Tesla was "Starman", a human analog wearing - incidentally - one of SpaceX's space suits.

Source:  http://spacenews.com/dont-expect-
deep-discounts-on-preflown-spacex-boosters/

It was so extraordinary, on so many levels, that I still haven't taken it all in. But when the two re-usable booster rockets touched back down simultaneously on their respective landing pads, I had no words!

I know the new Tesla has some astonishingly fast acceleration, but I'll bet even Starman will be changing his shorts after today's ride. Sorry Mom.



So I'm still in awe of this amazing string of accomplishments, beginning with the thing not blowing up the launch pad. But I think we can draw some inspiration from today's monumental event. There is no significant accomplishment without significant effort. And THAT is really one of the big ideas behind this whole fitness challenge.

Effort. I don't think what is important is simply our accomplishments. And neither do I think what is important is the raw effort we put into something. Physically, a big strong person and a small not-so-strong person lifting the same weight do the same work - the same raw effort. I think what is more important is how much effort we put into something relative to our ability.

Elon Musk is astonishingly clever whose work ethic, by all reports, would make ants or bees stop and take notice. He has earned his accomplishments.

I believe there is a sense of fulfillment when you work hard at things, when you put in a good effort, one which comes close to your maximum ability. As a teacher, I always try to recognize and affirm effort when I see it. It is the effort which matters. And learning to try and to continue trying - even in the face of fatigue, discouragement, and failure - is an attribute of a determined person.

So the rocket story really is one of determination. And while you may not be an Elon Musk, that's perfectly okay. You have some abilities, and if you are committed to giving a full effort as often as you can, you will probably find that your determination to accomplish things will result in, well, accomplishing things.

Effort is work. Learning to throw a sustained effort into a long-term task usually takes training and some discipline to keep at it. But, effort does not go unrewarded. You grow as a person when you apply effort to a task.

We are a week into the challenge. Keep up your good effort.

And, Dave:  2160.

Things Unusual. And Marshall McLuhan

It was Superbowl Sunday the other day. Preceded by a media circus filled with both the usual and the unusual. Of course, in Superbowl week, the unusual has become usual. Anyway, the other night, I was channel surfing and spotted a showdown of Superbowl ads. I tuned in and quickly found myself chuckling as they played Superbowl ad after Superbowl ad. Suddenly, I realized I had just inadvertently watched two full regular ads from our local channel. What tipped it off was that it just wasn't entertaining. And I had seen it before about 10 times.

How ironic is this? I was - deliberately - watching a bunch of ads. No irritation, no discomfort, enjoying the show. It was all good until "the ads" came on. Wait - what? Ads during ads. When are you supposed to go to the bathroom? Do you have to wait until "the show" is over? Talk about a paradigm shift. The advertisement is the show... which brings to mind Marshall McLuhan's "The medium is the message."

If you need some high-caliber thought bites, Look up Marshall McLuhan quotations. The one which captivated me recently was:

Advertising is the greatest art form of the 20th century

Okay, so maybe that is what happened with the show I was watching. I was consuming media and, quite literally, appreciating the artfulness of the commercials. Until the commercials began.

So here's the question: What does this ad stuff have to do with kettlebells, fitness challenges, or Parkinson's Disease?

My answer: Not much, other than the fact that you can appreciate commercials (well, good ones) if you want to; you can fit kettlebells or other wellness activities into your live if you want to; and, well, things like Parkinson's Disease happen on their own terms, whether or not you want them to.

So unusual things can provoke you to think about familiar things in new ways. When it comes to improving our personal wellness, perhaps the important factor is those small, incremental changes we fight ourselves to make. It's only after time (usually a lot of it) that they add up into significant change.

If you're not sure you buy this, how many 80 year-olds do you know - with or without Parkinson's Disease - who have walked over 400km in the last two years?

Day Five: 2018 Update on Marilyn's Travels

I spoke with my mother, Marilyn, a few weeks ago to get an update on her walking activities. You may remember that she has been dealing with Parkinson's Disease now for over 10 years, and she had been gradually retreating from her typical, actve life when the 10,000 Kettlebells for Parkinsons challenge came along. She decided she could try to do some daily walking, starting out at about 100m/day (followed by a rest). That was January, 2016. She kept at it, and virtually walked from her home in Saskatchewan to Brandon, MB by mid-October. Distance: 150km! She didn't stop there, but kept going and made it to somewhere near Austin, MB, for a total 2016 distance of over 200km.

The question then became, "Where should I walk now?" She decided to start 2017 by virtually walking west, and set off. On December 15, 2017, she "arrived" in Regina, after another 220km.

So what do you do after you've virtually marched east and then west?

You go to England and virtually walk there, of course. As of the other day, we found her approaching London, England from the south, headed for the Yorkshire Dales.

This inspires me for more than a few reasons. First, Mom's sheer tenacity to keep at it has been impressive. Second, I see what a person can accomplish when they do what they are able to do. Third - what an example of toughing it out. I can jam out with one excuse. She has persevered with a whole wheelbarrow full of potential excuses. And she is probably the last person on the planet to actually use an excuse to try to get out of something...

If you doubt yourself, you might be at risk of doing nothing, fearing you may not "succeed" at some goal or objective. Maybe a better perspective would be to do something, and see what happens if you keep at it. No offense, Mom, but I don't think any of us would have predicted that you would walk 200km in 2016. Especially not in early 2016. Of course, now that you've smashed that glass ceiling, who knows what you'll accomplish!

So try stuff. Don't be reckless with your health or safety, but take a few risks to "step-out" now and then. See how far it takes you!