Rudy Miick.com

More on Leadership and ski boots: how strength or skill shows up!

Flow of consciousness, thank god for the medium of blogs!  

Instead of editing my post yesterday, here's simply more food for thought... more "I wonder?"

My post yesterday explored the flex index of ski boots, and the power, strength and skill it takes to flex/bend a boot.  One precept being the higher the number on the index, the stiffer the boot.  Hence, the more power, strength or skill it takes to bend/flex said boot and to be most effective as a skier.  

What if trusting one's body to be perpindicular to terrain at speed is what strength is actually about?   As I work with clients, look at my own skiing/leadership, the ability to be perpindicular to a 40degree pitch is nothing short of scary.   On the street walking down a hill, you and I would fall flat on our face if we attempted this... yet on skis, this trust of equipment and body position IS control, IS skill, and is one of the core skills to move to highest levels of skiing skill.    

Maybe the index is as much about skill, power and strength of WILL as it is strength of body.   As mentioned yesterday, when I or anyone in boots, actually TRUSTS themselves enough to let go, to let body function easily, relaxed, and perpindicular to the terrain, the boot flexes/bends and control and flow is the outcome (as stated in the previous blog).  

The more I ponder this, the more deeper truth shows up: to trust oneself is strength personified.   The next subtlety is to be conscious... 

As I've said before, being fearless, of terrain or speed or changing conditions, does not mean be stupid. Awareness (definition: the blend of conscious and mindful) is potent.     

And the more aware I am, the more I trust, the higher the boot index I'm able to use effectively.  This is a great alternative to getting beaten up by using too stiff a boot.   

There is metaphor here.

Trust is earned, no doubt.

Trust is strength and provides power to move, influence, engage... 

I'll leave now with the offering to trust body, brain and tools, trust skill, and "let the boot flex" instead of working so damn hard to flex the boot.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gear Up: Conscious Capitalism, Conscious Leadership

It's that time of year again in N. America.  The mornings are crisp, afternoons are hot; the sky has a golden glow to it, thanks to the refraction of light from turning leaves and trees in various shades of fall.  Above 9 thousand feet there's snow and it's not going to melt anytime soon from now on... I love it.  If you're reading this blog you likely do too.

The new SKI, Boulder based ski magazine, has just arrived and the last page is adorned with thoughts from Patagonia Founder Yvon Chouinard.   I am captured by what he offers in very simple terms:

"Everytime I'm stumped in a business problem, it doesn't matter what it is, the answer is always, "Increase the quality.  Always."  He goes on, "And that's not common in business."  Sales are low decrease the quality, make it cheaper." "If you increase the quality you never go wrong."

Chouinard then offers a quote that exhilarates me, "Whether its the quality of the employee benefits or the product itself".. ("if you increase the quality you never go wrong.")  I appreiate his reiteration that People ARE important!  The WE is important to my production and execution as a company!  Duh!

When asked about sustainability he screams of the less than intelligent use of the term... and offers you and me to be responsible, as responsible as we can be in any given situation.   This offers us the opportunity to ask a VALUES driven question in any work, guiding a client, in the back country ourselves, or in a boardroom with our own team... "How do we be the most responsible we can be here?"  More so, What does being responsible look and feel like here and now.  With THIS issue?  (what ever the issue is.)

Is Chouinard an optimist?  He says resolutely, "NO."   He states in so many words because the next generation is scared there is where his hope and optomism sit.   

....

As I read Chouinard's message, thanks "SKI", I find myself all the more saying to myself and to anyone with whom I'm in bounds or out, in a board room or dining room, BE responsible; make the choice to BE conscious instead of unconscious.   To Chouinard's point raise the bar rather than lower it.   What ever gear were riding, wearing or using, use it wisely, be awake.   

Each decision I or you make impacts a pond of people.  Each choice I make creates a ripple.  And the impact of my actions, our actions IS apparent somewhere.   For this winter season coming, I hope you can join me in consciousness, leadership that holds the whole of "WE" at the same time it holds "I".

...

One quick plug in support of all the above, I'll be taking leaders and leadership groups into the high country beginning January, February and March 2012 in the Frazer Valley at Winter Park, Colorado.  Join me and my amazing team! ... drop a line or give me a call for more specific info!

You make a difference!  Own it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leadership, being choiceful...

Check out this web link to Rossi... Not a plug for them as a company, simply the BEST web site I've found to explain turn technology with rockered ski design...

The metaphor's for leadership will come later, in the moment, what comes to mind is simply BE choiceful.   The link below can likely assist understanding and hence, choice!

IF you ski and IF you're confused or just interested, this is a cool link... to the marketing folks and my peers... yes I know the link takes you away from my web site.   That said, call me naive, I'm more interested in support and success for you and yours than pretending to hold you hostage on our site!  

So, go get the info you need and come back when you're ready to USE the technology, ideas, possibilities to take you and your performance to a higher level!!!

http://www.rossignol.com/US/US/rossignol-innovations-alpine.html

Excuse the pun... "rock on!" 

More soon! - R

More with Leadership on Purpose!

Check out this post from my blog on Posterous... 

It's fun to see and hear leaders talk about being conscious, uncomfortable and mindful... this is what Miick Institute is all about... 

http://morefrommiick.posterous.com/

 

Letting go of pain, sitting in appreciation

Well, what a month...

3 weeks off skis, hobbling bad; thinking that the  season is over, until it wasn't.   The MRI showed a meniscus torn, not just pulled; a scope's a probable, smart thing.  The question is when...

Couple days later, I can walk again, more smoothly; few more days, and the movement isn't so bad.   Could I ski now?  Really?  And, at what level?   Cut to the chase, the surgeon and case worker for physical therapy, both say, I paraphrase here, "try it dude, what's the worst that can happen, we cut more when we cut.  If you make it through the season, we can scope it in the late spring..."

Amazingly enough, turning a ski is easier than walking.  What a celebration!  So about the self lessons, internal speak to my soul:

Lesson 1: allowing the ski to do the work, allowed flow, no stress on body parts. hmmmm...

Lesson 2: a few days later, my first bumps.  And glory be, bumps were easier to ski than groomed terrain.  This being the case as long as I am centered, actively centered, moving with my skis in the direction of travel.   hmmmm... this is sounding more and more like a summary of skiing mechanics 101... and leadership effectiveness...

Lesson 3: moving slower in the bumps allowed a more effective blending of all a ski does (simple, not easy: the ski only turns, tips and flexes)...  the challenge of course is the ski does these things easliy only if and when the body is actively centered, in balance with the ski.  This means active, subtle or not so, movement with the tools under foot. darn, simple not easy, "do the right thing" this takes being mindful, conscious and active participation...

Lesson 4: trust the bio mechanics and move with the skis... guess what Rudedog, your body doesn't ache... joy is the word that comes to mind... pure joy.

Lesson 5: first time in crud and pow, with high level trainers in a clinic.  So goes my confidence, victum hood shows up if not full time, on and off all day.  Excuses take the place of actively being engaged, and moving counter-intuitively, down the hill... "hell, I could hurt myself!"   So, of course, I come close to doing so by holding back... thank god for compadres, colleauges that urge me on with heart and support... on occasion, I find myself moving fluidly even in heavier snow, tighter chutes and trees.  I find myself so human, so frail, so scared at times... and then joy shows up... flow... no pain... how can this be?  "Rudy move with the skis dude." 

Lesson 6: A couple days later, many of the same crew, high level skiing.  Some how I am here again.  This time, flow shows up; not easy, but more than a couple days earlier... progress... perhaps... Heck, I am just thrilled to be here; with this group of folks, in powder again, and even more in flow.

Lesson 7: Each day is joy.  The reality of being outside in flow (even if only part time) is a gift I appreciate more than I can really type out.  Every day of movement is one more that I had no expectation for.  More so, expectation of anything close to higher level movement patterns, moving down the mountain in varried terrain and higher speed than I would have ever guessed a mere 3 weeks ago.  Yet, here I am...

So, flow, counter-intuitive movement, trust, TRUST... who knew?  Some yogi somewhere no doubt.  Did I trust, have I trusted enough?  I am learning to trust?

When I was worried about slowing others down, they supported me.  Ironically, if I had been them, I would do the same.  Yet, as the injured/slow guy, I had no picture of me in support of them.  What a treat, a lesson to simply appreciate the support, rather than get caught in ego and worry of "not being enough."   

When I was worried about my knee working, I was timid, moving slow, holding back... instead of moving into a turn, down the hill, with the skis... the absolute opposite of what would normally be called smart.  In skiing, this movement is the smartest thing I can do and did.  I am learning.

Last, BE-ing in appreciation, in joy here, does not mean be stupid.  Being interested, willing to risk in stepping stone, small ways, to move my personal boundaries of movement, does not mean be stupid.  Some may disagree, so be it.  Have I been fearless?  No, scared out of my mind a few times in the exploration of boundary.  And, with each calculated experiment, growing confidence.  So, I am learning stuff I had not really expected:

1. Fearless does not mean don't be scared.

2. Confidence and experiment does not need to equate to cockiness.

3. Friends care: they give you room, they give you support.  And, ask for what you need.  I realize more than ever that If I don't, I have only myself to blame.  Very cool.

4. My invitation is to explore your limits.  In Gestalt, I was taught that "contact happens at the boundary." 

If I had passion for skiing before, there is only more now.  Each day is a bonus... wow!  How true.  I invite you to find your boundary, explore, and be, in-JOY.

by the way, its dumping snow... another hand full of days of daily powder!   

More soon!

Rm

   

lessons from pain

12/30/07, bummer, I blew my right knee out.  More specifically, and now happily, I thought I blew my knee.   

Oh there's been 11 days of pain in the process; wondering, frustrated, as doctors, physical therapists, nurses say, "he/she can see you in two weeks," "...in 3 weeks."   As each day's gone by it seems like the knee is more pulled than torn.  Yea... I think...

Finally, an MRI taken, x-rays taken... a short doctor visit, but no absolute commentary yet.  Probably, if I'd gone to an emergency room, this experience would I bet (I hope) be different.  That said, I didn't, it hasn't been.   

Okay, poor me; so what?  Since this "slow input" blog is about experiential education, what have I learned?   That is, what have I learned besides there being no speed of service in the medical profession in Boulder.   

Not having hurt myself for many years, I am experiencing this injury hiatus differently than those in my "youth."  How so?   The way I've experienced the injury for one: there is a clear sense of self healing and confidence not experienced before; two: some odd sense of perspective of that of an active, professional athlete, rather than being some smug kid, simply "p.o'd".   And introspection, almost immediately.   This has been my biggest awareness:  I find myself sitting in introspection with questions of interest rather than anger or frustration.   More on this in a few paragraphs.

Awareness?  What of?  First was disbelief.  I was strong.  And, I supposedly know what I'm doing.  How could I have gotten so hurt?  "Well, maybe this is why they're called accidents.  They do happen dude, yes to you."

Without ego (hopefully), the phyiscal therapists I've been rehabbing with on my own, informally, have mentioned that had I not been as capable, or strong, I probably would have been hurt far worse. That's some reconiliation.   I had full range of motion, complete extension to complete knees in chest on my chin flexion/compression, at speed, big bumps on steep terrain and in a turn.   Good turn left, even as the tip hooked... but no turn right.  Not even about.  Simply stop... feel the immediate ache, rubbing my knee, and hobbling on one ski to the bottom.

First, there was and is, certainly a sense of positive focus, I will believe I am not so hurt, "I can heal this knee with energy," breathing into the ache, with positive thought.  My ability to focus tempers of course with the pain and the sense of wonder when I did finally see a doctor a day ago.  Even this is inconclusive... "what do you think doc?"  "Well, it could be this, it could be that"... "let's do an MRI, I'll talk with you in a week... "  Not good enough doc... I have clients to ski with, training to lead, training to complete for myself.  These thoughts are coupled with questions as clear and simple as "Do I start doing rehab?"  "What sort?" " Do I get a brace?" (hope not.) etc.   "Am I stupid to even think of this stuff?"  Instead, put your gear away dumby... no I will not go there.  None-the-less, isn't it odd to be self diagnosing, paying attention to my own drummer; about to continue my own easy does it rehab... stretch, compress, dare I move this thing sideways... yes, but gently buddy.

Next on the list, the athelete syndrome.  Aged though I am, I still sit in a locker room with a lot of folks that make their living on skis.  Much of my life is this as well.   What's the learning, the ahaa here? First , lot's of folks heard of my injury quickly.   A couple have followed up simply from logistics... when can you train again?  travel again?... More so, there has been silence.   You know the kind, professional sports silence; work silence... folks check in and then move away quietly, not to return.  My knee and the fact that I can not turn a ski still, perhaps in a week (hopefully) reminds them that it could have been them... it wasn't... fragile is the body, tough as it is.  Paradox.  More than ever before, I applaud this silence.  I get it, understand it.  Of course, and I wouldn't expect anything else.  This is life, keep living, keep turning, keep be-ing.

One step further, I better see myself in this experience too.  How? About 5 days prior to my knee aching profusely one of my colleagues broke his pelvis skiing into an unmarked sink hole in early morning training.  The day before the hole hadn't been there.  The next morning, training at 8am before the patrol had gone out to open the mountain and Peter, on early morning clinic time, in a white out and in uniform, skied right into the hole.  He broke his pelvis. No reason for this, except it happened. 

I, like others had strong emphathy, sorrow for sure, this pelvis thing is BIG... but no I didn't go to the hospital, no I didn't call.  Life is too frail and it could have been me, or you, or the next guy.  Instead it was Peter.    My knee, so much a smaller scale injury, thank goodness, is the same in this way.  Most folks I know that know, haven't been in touch.   Instead there will be celebration when I return.  So be it.

What has occured is interest.  I am interested in the push pull of empathy and care, yet not being in touch.  I am interested in feeling pain without anger, simply wonder.  I am interested in watching my own frustration about training, rehabbing or not; trusting myself or not; being patient waiting for a doctor and not.   I am interested in focusing healing and positive thought instead of getting stuck in anger and pissyness.   This situation simply is.   I will keep learning, keep watching and feeling to see what learning shows up.

The biggest difference between this injury and others I've had that kept me from turns for much longer is that I am smiling, noticing constantly.  Yes I am grateful, even if this knee takes all season, I have both legs and knees; I have a pelvis; I have the ability to write and think and celebrate taking calculated risks even in bounds in a mountain resort.    No one forces me to do these things; all and each is choice.  My choice, your choice.   I wouldn't choose anything less.  Now my choice is simply rehab as solidly as possible as quickly as effectively as possible.  So I can learn something else, something more.

Hope this finds you well; you getting your ski or riding days in.   Blessings to each of those days for you!

Rock on!

rm

Leadership and my feet

Winter's finally here for real.  7 december, a day that will live in infamy (sp)... snowing in Boulder... all day... It's been snowing in the high country of Colorado for the last few days and we finally have feet of snow.  Feet, at last.

On-snow training's been good til now, even though the snow's been thin and terrain limited.  What has focused has been nuance of being centered, balanced, moving with skis instead of against gravity.  Professional ski instructor training is shifting a bit... no need to ski like an instructor.  Simply, pay attention to how your skis are moving, effectively or not.  As an instructor, coach, guide, no worries really to get caught in the affect or effect of hands moving, how wide one's stance is or isn't; at least in terms of what's right or good.  Instead, what's working?  How effective are you?  How effective am I, in moving my skis and more so, moving with my skis?  This my friends is the magic question.

So in the early season training we've been talking a lot this year about skiing from core, from center.   Like martial arts, core is just below the navel, okay, the belly button.   My transforming ahaa this season has been this:  Seeming Truth:  We have a core to our body mass, this IS point from which we move effectively, whether walking or skiing.   Premise then:  If goal is to move with our skis, in the direction of travel most effectively and we know efficiency is to move from core, then... what is core or would be core in our feet?  Is there a core, a center of mass in our feet?   

Oh my god!   Suddenly ski from a centered stance has a whole new meaning.  Stance is as active as balance... everything is moving in us and around us, skis, poles, ground while not moving does undulate, upper body moves or doesn't, ankles flex or don't... depending on the movements (or non movement) shared above I am, we are, effective.   

Asking where is core in the feet means there is movement here too.  Centered, solid, grounded has typically meant, have your weight just back of center on your arch, directly under the ankle... except core of the foot, allows travel of balance so that in the belly of the turn, I can feel my weight shift into the front of my arch, solid as a rock in the direction of travel WITH my skis... here it comes again, "oh, my god!"... centeredness now has solidity, movement is from core.  Core is center of mass and center, solid base of feet, in support of the skis...

What the hell does this have to do with leadership?   A stance looks solid, but is maliable, pliable.  Balance is supported by centeredness, stance, readiness (a ready position) is supported by an affect of more effective balance... try to push me off balance, ain't gonna happen.   Surprise me with new terrain, different speed or environmental conditions... we continue to move with the idea, the direction of travel, solid as a rock, from center, from core.  Sounds like strong leadership to me.   

Have a great winter vacation.  If not a vacation, have a mini-trip, take a walk in the snow... do something that allows you to explore center, core, and your movement into leadership!  (Leadership need not be of others, it can be even of oneself... guided exploration of excellence!)

Namaste!  Off to the mountains!  More soon!

Knowing something deeper, what is truth

I remember in grad school, hearing faculty that where closer to mentors than teachers to me share the idea that a person only hears, sees, understands new learning, new truth, from the truth they already know or can hold.  What immediately comes to mind is Costner's movie, "Field of Dreams"... when'd all those baseball players get here?"

If I hate crud skiing simply because I really had a hard time in it once long ago, got really wet from weather, cold and tired as well as sweaty and dripping wet from sweat, the truth stays true until I am able to learn something new about crud skiing.  The challenge is I have to be ready to learn something new.  What does it take to realize that in crud, speed is my friend.  That in crud, moving down the hill effectively means stepping into my fear, the push and pull of riding through chopped krap becomes fun only when speed is celebrated in a way that balances with being centered, supple, and letting go.  All these actions are the opposite the counter intuitive of anything my body or mind understands in the world of concrete and gaberdine.  Can I step into my fear?  How does fearless balance with not being stupid? I ask myself this question constantly.  So if fear has to be acknowledged, balanced with a desire to learn something really confusing, but seemingly learnable... what's the trick?

When the student is ready, the teacher will come, will show up.   Sometimes the teacher is another person, sometimes it's the weather, sometimes the motivator is pain or laughter and if I am listening, really listening, the teacher can be my interior self.  When'd those ball players get here?   No news here.   

Once a number of years ago, I co-facilitated a day long investigation of the spirit of skiing.   The participant list was awe inspiring.  Folks showed up from all over the Rocky Mtn. West and the west coast.   Ages varied from young to old.   Some in their 20's, some old enough to remember riding Dave McCoy's Boat Tow at Mammoth in the early years.  All passionate skiers, many of the best coaches and teachers in the country.   The day's event was to explore, define the spirit of skiing.  Was there someting to teach the public about skiing, more than the mechanics of turning a ski or utilizing terrain to maximum?

Those of us who know the passion, the real passion of a participatory sport, know that attitude is the fuse that binds us all in some way to our sport of choice.   Each of us has been supported along the way, now we each (hopefully) support "new members.

Skill is a benefit for sure to playing and exploring together.  But skill isn't it alone.  Any of us that are now skilled at what ever level, will bow down in support of a new member to the "passion club."   When the secret code to the metaphoric club house door is knocked, there is support to keep the door open. 

Exploration of new truth begins the second the door opens.  I for one remember being a complete beginner, really a gaper of the day... yet full of excitement to be on snow with boards on my feet.  Somehow, a smally hanful of others saw the juice in me,  and waited patiently, unless it was a powder day.   Even then, sometimes they waited for a couple minutes... why?  Amazingly enought, they waited sometimes a long time, sometimes much less.  But they always waited a bit, to assist  the growth of my  passion, to celebrate dare I say it, the common "passion."  Common in feel, yes.  Common in volume or participants?  Not really so... actually pretty rare.   It's easier to go to disney land than actually step into real time, excitement, fear, pain, joy, cold, and the real hit: flow, oneness....

Hit the passion button and you'll find support in this small club that has a password in action of, "I get it."... You'll see the look in the face and demeanor of "I get it" at times in the tram line at the bird, at Jackson, at Mammoth early morning on a powder day... in the back bowls at Vail... you name the mountain, you know the feeling, and yes, you find this all over the back country...

So back to the room and an all day event exploring the spirit of skiing.  Can we teach this feeling?  Probably not.  Can we support finding it?  Yes, very much so.  Is your "teacher" willing to explore here, this territory of emotion with you?  Hope so.  Otherwise, find a new instructor!   

This week I've been reading "Deep Survival: Who Lives, who dies and why" by Laurence Gonzales.  On page 92, he shares some verbiage of riding the baja 1000 on a bike.  He might as well be talking about skiing...."Riding was (is) transcendental; it was rolling the karmic wheel in order to ascend with angels out of the temporal hell of the flesh..  Falling was to renter the world as it was (is) the low world.   Falling we are all fallen angels."

You see what took all day for a room of amazingly passionate, great skiers and teachers to acknowledge was this: skiing in flow is to be one with god.  With almost immediate acknowledgement, there was hesitation in the group, dare we say this?  If acknowledged, will the truth simply float away?  Is it possible that if we talk about this experience that our truth may end up less true.

Can we teach this truth?  Me with my buddies, you with yours?  No, I think not... there is no teaching this.  There is however knowing.  There is the ability to set up the environment to support knowing.  No trick, just choice.

And the same truth can occur at work, and at home.  Interested to explore this?...

 

leadership, skiing, skis, new and not

We keep evolving as leaders (hopefully.)  Caveat, if you're choiceful, if you really focus, evolution of one's leadership ability is not one outcome, it is ongoing growth. A goal achieved is simply the next door to what next ensues.  Those of us with passion for skiing seem to keep evolving as well.  The evolution shows up in our awareness and the ability to move with our skis...  Goals like leadership effectiveness is once achieved, simply shifted to another level, higher, farther, bigger, deeper, use whaever langauge supports you.

As the morning crisps up in the northern hemisphere, those of us who notate calendars by the snow months are gearing up (excuse the pun.)

At Larry's Boot Fitting in Boulder a couple days ago, I met Pete Wagner.  Pete is mellow and inquistive. He asks a whole lot of pithy questions, deep in clarity, simple and sincere in request.   Within 5 minutes we're talking about ski technique, injuries, enevitably at Larry's, sharing the desire for the subtle nuance in fitting; accomplishing the feather thickness/width effectiveness of exact fit vs. pain beyond belief.  In function, boots, now skis at the highest design level possible from Pete's world; into effectiveness in life.  Not exactly a small conversation, and no better place for it.  Thank God for Larry and space he's created. He's a sensei in his abilities to actually support us to achieve our goals.  (Hence his ever growing notariety and business.) 

So, if all the above is foreshadowing, how does one become effective?   

Our conversations in the shop stretched from fitting ski boots to ski technique, to leadership decision making.   Pete is a CEO of a growing company, my sense is a blend of science and wizard, I want to hear more.  Larry, entrepreneur beyond measure, artisan to be sure... the three of us were tied together in the inquiry of mastery.  One core topic, the importance of  being conscious and aware without thought.   Larry does this in his boot fitting.   Pete, my new aquaintance hopefully new friend, does this too.  His company?   Custom made skis.  Home town?  Telluride.  Of course you might say, lot's of money, new age, lot's of serious skiers.  Yep, all true.  So the guy's a smart business strategist.  But there's more...

Business on Purpose.  Suddenly, Pete's questions all make sense.  His are similar to Larry's.  Both totally committed to the pursuit and more, the accomplishment of goals.  Skiing effectiveness, clarity, passion personified, simultaneously, both intuitive and scientifically balanced.   What's your goal, let's get you there.   

How the heck do I even get in the room with these guys?  Talk about blessing.   Well, I realize in retrospect, as Pete in sincere inquiry, never having met me, what motivates my skiing?  Why this work being done, why that?  To accomplish what in my skiing and movement effectiveness?   How lucky I am, we are... My inquiry is as intense, as intuitive and methodically based as well.  How does leadership work?  How does inspiration work?  Connection?   How does goal achievement meet personal well being?  Skiing is life.  So is, bare with me here,  so is effective business leadership.   

Let's see Pete makes custom skis and listens to goals, challenges, physical inabilities or capabilities, terrain, fiscal backing.  He's building a company pair of skis at a time.  He's integrating 21st century technology, one kiosk of sincere inquiry at a time in the best ski and boot shops in the high country.  He matches Larry in intrigue with excellence and nothing short.  Total guest/customer satisfaction. Larry does the same thing in his boot fitting; What a treat for me.  All of us are growing businesses.  All of s support excellence.  There's a clarity of metaphor, suddenly a new common denominator shows up.  Obvious and not.  BE aware, be focused on a goal.  Be fluid and in unison with environment. Have clearly defined goals, and moving with gravity if at all possible, knowing that if we push against it, we better be aware, really aware.  Yes, even there, we need to stay alive so we can get back in balance, back in center.

So, three guys, three different sets of focus, three different frames supporting performance excellence.   What a cool day.  What a great picture of what skiing, life and leadership can be.   As I close two things offered:

Check out: www.wagnerskis.com ; google: Larry's bootfitting, Boulder Co.; and www.durgainstitute.com

Being aware and choiceful is part of being in flow, conscious while at the same time being in the moment, centered, in balance.  This is the essence of effective life; effective skiing.  Larry does this in the way he fits boots and supports you to focus on flow of movement instead of pain or sluff in a fit.  Pete does this similarly by listening to your goals, knowing the kind of boots you ski, terrain you ski, the goals you have for your skiing; I do it by supporting leadership goals; let's see, what do you want to accomplish?  The same sort of "right kind" of choiceful communication, of delegation, of business development... all in flow, in support of your defined direction and effectiveness; of your passion, in support of simply knowing, and supporting ever more inquiry on yea!  And... for each of us... the inevitable question: What's next?!   

Have a great season!  More soon!-rm

summer skiing! summer learning!

It's july 1.  the high country still has so much snow.  Folks are hiking to ski...

the other day I sent this note (below) on mindfulness to some buddies... seems appropriate to post here too.  If skiing is life, hmmm... just another iteration, awareness that all we do is a choice. 

I can sit at home on the couch, or get out there and take a walk, ride a bike, paddle something, canoe, kyack, climb something... check out the photos in support!!!!  this is summer choice for some...

"…Your mind makes everything.  If you think something is difficult it is difficult. If you think something is easy, it is easy.  If you think that something is not easy, but also not difficult, then it’s not difficult or easy.  Then what is it really like?   Go drink some water, and then you will understand on your own, whether it is hot or cold.  Don’t make difficult or easy.  Don’t make anything:  when you are doing something, just do it.   That is Zen.

We all have questions about this life.  This is why we practice…”What is mind?”  “What is consciousness?”  “What is life and death?”   If you want to understand… first you must have a mind that is clear like space.  Keeping your mind clear like space means your mind is clear like a mirror: when red comes before the mirror, red appears; white becomes white.  You must reflect the universe exactly as it is.  That is already truth.   

What would your life be like without the concepts of “difficult” or “easy?”  - Seung Sahn

Have a GREAT day, great rest of July... go do something cool... notice what you learn, feel, experience!

Bye for now! (And, check out the photos! all by Ariel Miick) -Rudy