The Companions Of Glide
Let’s dial back the tone to a whisper this morning. No shouting. Dialing down this essay to be consumed in silence will make for a more intuitive collaboration between us.
There are few sensations I enjoy more than a moment distilled to a single unit of energy. Then I allow that energy to run its course all the way to its end.
I reach for these single energy moments when I sense they are available. But too often, the noise of distraction steps in the way.
I regularly hear friends yearn for past times when life seemed simple. Fewer distractions. More space. Less noisy.
My 8 year-old self vividly remembers the freedom I discovered after climbing gingerly into a tippy kayak for the first time. The idea that I could create propulsion through a single paddle stroke as it whispered its way through the water, quietly along the edge of the boat. The movement carried itself and that glide was a beautiful sensation. There was this a peaceful space before I repeated the process.
Another whisper of the paddle, another quiet glide through the water.
But then the clock was introduced. Paddling became racing and the sensation was tied to results. “What we have” became “What we want.”
At some point in all of our lives, our own version of the clock gets introduced. This fundamentally changes our propulsion. The clock ticks forward and we react. We strive for harder pulls at an accelerated rate.
Do we find speed? Usually.
Course correction? Not enough.
Results? We arrive at where we didn’t want to go a little bit sooner.
Being consumed with “how long will it take?” (the clock) skews our intentions
The clock becomes the voice that guilts us to increase our effort and fervently chase what others seem to have attained.
Why do we allow time to be the measure of our pursuits?
Why do we allow the tick of a clock to drown out the wisdom that is available to glide us along at a whisper?
Between the spaces of effort is effortless
Glide silently adds effortless space between…
the bites of food.
the notes of the music.
the words of the pencil.
the strokes of the brush.
the tasks on the to-do list.
the moments in a conversation.
Glide nourishes our patience.
Glide draws on our sense of less, not more.
Glide gives us the sensitive awareness to collaborate with those who complement our own talents.
How do you find your glide? Step away from the current noise and reach out for the whispers. They are the companions of glide.
With gratitude,
Joe
Hi, I’m Joe, the owner of 5 With Joe Performance Coaching. My clients are leaders, organizations, and teams who utilize my Olympic Gold Medal performance strategies and 40 years of navigating whitewater river rapids to streamline decision making and actions when engaged in complicated river currents of business and life.
The best way to interact with me is though Sunday Morning Joe, my weekly newsletter that explores the art of improving performance, overcoming challenge, and aligning with purpose for Sunday readers in search of more depth and motivation. Subscribe HERE for free.
