Daily Yamabushi

A powerful force

Use it or lose it they say about languages. This much is true, but the fact that you can pick up a language again shows that muscle memory is a powerful force.

When you want to learn a new skill, a language, or even something like a computer game, even if you suck at it (hint: you will), get as much practice in as you can when you can.

When you have a new device or your device has a new feature that you will likely use in the future, or even if you don’t, it’s worth playing around with it as much as you can as soon as you get it.

Even if you can’t quite get the hang of it, this will put you well on your way.

Time on task is the theory that the longer you do something, the better you get at it. Getting a head start by, well, doing the thing, goes a long way in building your time on task, and building your muscle memory, or at least your brain’s ability to build muscle memory.

Prove it.

Do you have a genuine excuse?

Prove it.

If not, do the work.

It’s that simple.

A push in the right direction

Sometimes a bit of inertia is all we need. A little push in the right direction. A little budge in the bum to push us forward. Of course the easiest thing to do is to never stop, but that isn’t always realistic. In which case, we need something (or someone) that gives us that initial burst of inertia.

It can be as simple as a short exercise, or a tiny task that practices a big task, but whatever it is, get it done. Get over the line, and stay over the line. And if you find yourself in a bad position, do what it takes to get a little inertia.

Make it automatic

Make it so as much as possible you don’t even think about it. You just do it.

Like doing something as soon as you wake up in the morning. Like putting on your running shoes in any weather. Like preparing for an event that is going to go on whether you like it or not.

Ready or not. Make it automatic.

To make you a better you

She is testing you. She is testing your patience. She is testing your commitment. Sure is testing your ability to act rationally under pressure.

She is testing you to make you a better you. And even if she isn’t, if it makes you a better you, you should probably act like she is.

Standards set.

You’re only as strong as your weakest team player. Set high standards for yourself, and see the team thrive.

The clouds will clear

This morning as I went for my walk I first noticed Mt. Chokai was looking particularly beautiful, or at least what I could see of Mt. Chokai. Its summit was covered in cloud. As I walked still undecided whether I should go home or not, I decided it was worth spending a few more minutes out as it was rather pleasant, despite not being able to see the whole mountain.

A few more minutes, and a few blocks later, guess who decides to show their face.

Stay in the game long enough, the clouds will clear, and the mountain will appear.

Me Time

Set aside yourself some free time, block off some time in your calendar for this task, perhaps a day or so, but at the very least, a morning or afternoon. Preferably not after a busy day, as you’ll be too tired to do anything. And even if you have to trick yourself into it by setting a date so far in the future you forget about it till the day.

Then, just see what you do. See what you are naturally inclined to do.

Then, do more of that.

There is always the risk you will fill it with not so productive tasks. However I’m willing to bet, if you allow yourself to be creative, you can be very creative. Perhaps even give this time the title ‘creative time’, or at the very least, me time.

Who knows, you might find something you secretly loved all along?

Your yoga mat

I once asked a friend of mine who was a yoga teacher what to do if I want to do more yoga. He said it was simple, take your mat out and leave it out. Now every time you pass it, do something, anything, to get your yoga in.

Of course this isn’t limited to yoga.

What if it were?

Is it a non-issue?

What if it were?

It’s worth asking.

A problem with a solution is not a problem.

If a problem can be solved, why worry? If it can’t be solved, what’s the use of worrying?

Is the problem a non-issue? Even if it is, is it worth worrying about?

Remind yourself of the moment

Stop and breathe. Feel your breath as it enters, passes through your body, as it leaves your nostrils. Stop and breathe. Let the moment linger. Feel the sensations around you. Take a moment to remind yourself of the moment and take the moment in. Do that, by stopping to breathe. No need to push it. What can be done tomorrow can be done tomorrow. For now, just focus on the now.

More doing, more learning.

Learning by doing is the best, and probably only true way to learn something.

Do more. Learn more. Ignore the naysayers. Ignore yourself when you are doing the naysaying. Get to work and get to learning. Then compound your learning by doing more. Learn by doing. Then learn some more. Doing is Learning.

No half-heartedness

If it’s worth doing something, it’s worth doing it right. And if it’s worth doing right, it’s worth going all in on it. No half-heartedness. Full commitment to the cause. This means the task takes priority over stuff that isn’t important, and this means you give your best no matter what.

What would it take to make it the best? That’s what you’re going to give. All in. No half-heartedness.

Is there any other way?

With a vengeance is the only way to be. The only way to go about things. If you’re going to do something, it’s worth doing, and it’s worth doing with a vengeance.

The Fire in your belly burns. Let it. Control it. Take its power, and turn that potential into affirmative action. Take it on, with a vengeance.

Is what you should do

You do you. Everyone else is taken.

If something works for you and it’s not harming anyone else, by all means go for it. What works for you doesn’t have to work for anyone else. As long as you get what you want out of it, who really cares? Do what works. It’s what you should do.

Read books. Just read.

Always have a book on you. Always have something available that boosts your intelligence. Read books constantly and in a few years you’ll be a new you. A new you with a completely different outlook perhaps, no, hopefully. Reading books is how we evolve. It’s how we build our knowledge and then some. And it’s getting harder and harder to do in a world full of temptations, but all that means is that it’s more important, and more valuable for those who do it, and those who level up. Read books. Evolve. Read more. Evolve more.

A result of consistency

It’s not so much that you do it well, it’s more that you do it at all. The well part comes later. First focus on getting it done, and getting it done consistently. The well part is a natural byproduct of consistent work.

Just chill

When things get heated, and even when they don’t, the one who is able to keep a cool head is the one that comes out on top. Chill. Just chill. Think and act deliberately, and move on.

Which is most important?

History has no bearing on the present, unless you let it. The present does have bearing on the future, if you let it.

The past doesn’t really matter, and neither does the future, but both can have an impact on our present if we let them, positive or otherwise.

The present is the most important, you could even say it is the only important one. At the very least, it’s the only one that actually exists.

Your unique sound

Find your sound by making sound. And making sound. And making sound.

There’s no need to define your sound. Your sound can be defined after the fact. There’s no need to perfect your sound. Your sound is perfect from the outset. The only need is to make your sound. And make your sound. And make your sound.

Take the right steps

When you don’t feel like doing something, force yourself to do just a tiny amount. Baby steps. Then force yourself to do just a little more. More baby steps. Break the big tasks down into bitesize pieces, and tackle the bite size pieces one by one. It’s not easy, but it can be made easier if you take the right steps. Baby ones.

It’s up to you

Decide as much in advance as you can. Take the decision fatigue out of the calculation. And when you don’t have the luxury of time to make a decision, go with your heart. You’ll find that you have already made the decision, it just needed to be acted upon.

It knows

The biggest regrets come from when you don’t trust your gut. If you make a decision that goes against your gut feeling, you’ll only blame yourself when things don’t turn out as planned. But if you trust your gut and go through with the decision, even if you are wrong, you can honestly say you gave it your best shot, and the regret will hit different.

Align your actions

We are all guilty of doing something for the ease and convenience, but after all is said and done, the only things that matter are the things done for the right reasons. I’m always harping on about action, about acting first and dealing with the consequences rather than incessant thought. But if those actions aren’t for the right reasons, then they shouldn’t be taken. Your values need to be aligned with the right reasons before you take action.

Are your values aligned with the right reasons? Do your actions reflect the right reasons? Are you working towards something because it is easy or convenient? Or are you doing it for the right reasons?

Right now

There is no perfect time. There is no such thing as perfect timing. After the fact it may seem as such, and that is perfectly plausible, but for everything else, there is no such thing as perfect timing. There’s always one reason or another that means the timing is not ideal. Often these reasons we conjure up ourselves as a way of excusing inaction. Yet if there is no such thing as perfect timing, there’s no excuse not to do the thing right now.

In other words, perfect timing is right now.

Another term for writers’ block?

’I’m inbetween inspirations, but it’s today so I’ll do it anyway.’

If between the inspiration you are still able to produce, you will come out ahead.

The days you don’t feel it, but you do it just because it’s that day, those are the days you grow the most. Inbetween inspirations is just another term for writers’ block. In other words, it doesn’t exist.

Sometimes that’s all you can do

You just gotta keep things going. Sometimes, you don’t have a choice. Sometimes the decision is made for you.

What else?

You’re in it to win it. You’re going for the big prize, playing in the big leagues. You always do it to have fun, make no mistake. But with winning comes its own type of fun. And even if you don’t quite get the result you wanted, if you can honestly say you gave it your best shot, you’re in it to win it.