from Verse One Hundred SevenThe Way involves respect for what is small and subtle, acting without losing the right timing. Redouble your caution even on the hundredth shot, and troubles will not increase. Planning for fortune isn't enough; worrying about calamity is too much.~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries~
Here's yet another passage that underscores the importance of keeping to the fundamental elements of life. When we lose sight of the basics, we soon find that little comes easily.
Athletes -- even high-paid professionals -- spend a great deal of time practicing the fundamental elements of their sport. Often, particularly in team sports, when the club goes on a losing streak, the coach will ask his players to recommit to the fundamentals.
Before a singer goes on stage to perform, he/she will warm up, often by singing the scales forwards and backwards. Same for an artist who plays an instrument. It is by practicing the most elemental aspects of one's craft that we are able to handle much more complex tasks.
However, we in live in a modern and complex world in which many of us feel pulled in one hundred directions simultaneously. It's not uncommon for any of us to feel like we don't have the time, energy or patience to follow the usual steps. In essence, we look for shortcuts to get us from point A to point B.
There is nothing inherently wrong with utilizing shortcuts IF the situation calls for it. That's why it's important to be focused on the current moment. There are times when a shortcut meets the situation perfectly; at other times, a shortcut is the worst avenue possible. Unfortunately, most of us tend to try to employ a shortcut, not because it's called for, but because we're hoping for a positive result for a lesser effort.
On the whole, it's better to keep to the fundamentals. While a shortcut may work here and there, following the usual steps almost always will bring us to where we want to be.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
Athletes -- even high-paid professionals -- spend a great deal of time practicing the fundamental elements of their sport. Often, particularly in team sports, when the club goes on a losing streak, the coach will ask his players to recommit to the fundamentals.
Before a singer goes on stage to perform, he/she will warm up, often by singing the scales forwards and backwards. Same for an artist who plays an instrument. It is by practicing the most elemental aspects of one's craft that we are able to handle much more complex tasks.
However, we in live in a modern and complex world in which many of us feel pulled in one hundred directions simultaneously. It's not uncommon for any of us to feel like we don't have the time, energy or patience to follow the usual steps. In essence, we look for shortcuts to get us from point A to point B.
There is nothing inherently wrong with utilizing shortcuts IF the situation calls for it. That's why it's important to be focused on the current moment. There are times when a shortcut meets the situation perfectly; at other times, a shortcut is the worst avenue possible. Unfortunately, most of us tend to try to employ a shortcut, not because it's called for, but because we're hoping for a positive result for a lesser effort.
On the whole, it's better to keep to the fundamentals. While a shortcut may work here and there, following the usual steps almost always will bring us to where we want to be.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
Many people's lives are shortcuts, sprinkled sparsely with occasional fits of doing things properly.
ReplyDeleteOff topic perhaps, but possibly amusing:
A woman commented to me that men can't multitask.
I answered that it was because men did things properly.
In this context: properly = with care.
I bet your comment went over well! :D
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a young lad, I had a very short-lived job as a dishwasher at a Mexican restaurant. The manager wanted me to be very thorough and very fast. I told him he couldn't have it both ways with me. Either I could be thorough and not very fast OR I could be very fast, but not very thorough.
I'll bet that went over well!
ReplyDeleteYep, this is precisely what is expected in graduate school: read an enormous number of books, with the more-than-tacit acknowledgement that it's impossible to read them well.
ReplyDeleteSchool is no place to get an education.