Metaphor is an excellent teacher.

My very learned yoga instructor, Joe Williams, recently discovered a wonderful way demonstrate how less effort focused on the appropriate area will enable more range with less injury. Joe led his students to consider our joints as levers, similar to a door hinge. The hinge moves very little to open and close a door. So, too, when we move our arm up, our leg out, our body into poses, we need to concentrate our energy, stay centered at our root, rather than flail and fall over in an effort to “achieve” the position.

Imagine if we applied such a concept to our work life. We would identify our core strengths, concentrate on the present, seek balance, stretch without strain or judgment, and stay centered despite external distractions, fleeting thoughts, or extraneous effort. We probably would dispel the myth that trying harder is necessary to get results. We might even stop demanding, expecting, straining, pressuring. In short, we would evaluate, reach, readjust, accept, seek equilibrium and surrender when appropriate.

We have potential mentors and mantras in every area of our lives if we look for them. And, often a profound message can be delivered with a very simple exercise. Joe often has us do a warm up exercise in which we fold our hands and reach out to “Power”, then raise our arms to “Joy” and end with our head resting back on our hands, arms bent in “Contentment”.

More for less and a balanced day…. a yoga practice for living fully.

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 26th, 2007 at 8:09 pm and is filed under Career Management, Leadership Strategy.