Make Smaller Circles
In The Art of Learning Josh Waitzkin has a chapter called “Making Smaller Circles.” These three simple words have profound implication on the learning process and on rapid skill growth. Making smaller circles fits with my experience of learning in several different ways. First, I’ve been making a habit of examining the small steps necessary to […]
How To Learn Handstands
I’ve practiced handstands on and off for almost 10 years but it was only in making a study of the gymnastics giant that I was able to master my handstands. I did so by studying the component parts. This post is about using small steps to learn handstands quickly and in stages. At the request of Karen X. […]
How to Overcome the Fear of Humiliation – Using Daily Documentation to Learn Porteño Spanish
My taxi driver was gesticulating wildly, swerving in and out of traffic, as he impressed upon me his opinions of Argentine politicians. I was very silent in the back seat. I have been warned to avoid discussing politics with Argentinians, but I was silent for a completely different reason: I was too scared to talk. […]
Breeching The Comfort Zone (And Thoughts On Working Abroad in Buenos Aires)
I’ve talked before about one of the reasons I love working with autism. Kids on the spectrum are constantly violating my assumptions and in order to be effective I have to continue re-evaluating my beliefs and discarding what doesn’t work. This week I am in Buenos Aires, Argentina working with several families with special needs […]
Tools to Learn Anything Well (Hint: It Is Simpler Than You Think)
The more time I study learning the more I realize that the tools which improve performance apply across disciples. Everywhere we look there are struggles and every-day heroes overcoming those struggles: athletes achieving record-breaking feats, regular people losing that last 10 pounds and children with autism self-regulating, tantruuming, and improving. I make a study of […]
The Impact of Applying a Loving, Compassionate Attitude with Autistic Children
I love working with children with autism. I do are not just because I get to witness sometimes subtle and other times profound transformations for the children that I work with. I enjoy what I do because selfishly I benefit in my own life to work with these special needs children! Through practicing an attitude […]
Learning 12 Martial Arts in 1 Week
I recently went on a binge. I’ve never studied a martial art to speak of – surprising considering how many other sports I’ve tried. The last time I trained in something even remotely aggressive was soccer. And I quit soccer in 5th grade when the guys started using elbows. Image my surprise last month in […]
Parking in San Francisco is Easy (Or How to Hack Any Task)
There’s just one secret that anyone parking in San Francisco needs to know. Read the fine print first! I use my car to travel throughout San Francisco, a city that has twice as many cars as parking spaces. I was recently parking in the Inner Sunset – or attempting to. I circled the area six […]
Splits Without Stretching – 10 volunteers to test-drive design
I’m building a program that trains the splits without stretching. The concept has come out of my own rehabilitation and return to peak performance with the Anat Baniel Method, and my practical philosophy training from the Option Institute. The idea is simple, no impact, and I want your help! But first, some theory… Read Anat […]
Lessons Learned and Future Steps – Ushering in 2013
I ushered in the New Year on the social dance floor – until 5am. There is nowhere I would rather have been and no people I would have preferred to be with. 2012 has been the best year of my life, so far. In the last year I’ve formed more close personal relationships that I’ve […]
What Will You Make of Your Life?
In 2004 I set some life goals. Among the highlights were: Become a monk Live (and grow) through heartbreak Professional physical trainer Save a life Write a book I haven’t become a monk. I haven’t raised a child though I do help others do so, professionally! I did stop that guy from jumping off that […]
Learn How to Overcome Discomfort (by Jumping into Ice Covered Lakes)
I’ve always gone swimming in really cold water. I’m not sure that I really enjoyed the swimming part but the thrill afterwards kept me going back for more. From an age when I was still learning how to walk I would follow my father into High Sierra snow melt. There is one lake that I […]
Sweaty and Frustrated – Shortcuts to happiness
As I write this I am covered in sweat having spent the last hour pushing a 600 pound motorcycle up San Francisco “hills.” Had I stopped–paused for just a moment–and considered why the bike wasn’t starting up I would have realized that I had forgotten to turn the fuel valve back on. No gas, no […]
You’re Doing It Wrong! Practice versus Performance
I watch a gymnast work on her handsprings. Or a blues dancer try to learn the “pulse.” Over and over again my initial response upon watching someone practice something new is an internal shout: “You are doing it wrong!” There may be some hair pulling involved. Then I calm down, decide if the person would […]