Paradigm Shift

Change How You Feel In A Moment 

Having become a massive audio book fan to make use of the 35k miles I have driven over the last 12 months, I have literally filled my phone with all sorts of fabulous books FILLED with information! As a ‘non academic’ this resource is SO exciting for me and helps me to learn quickly and easily during a time that would normally be wasted. it amazes me that I can get through a book a week some times. With all sorts of subjects from business and marketing to emotional intelligence and communication skills. Me and my buddy and colleague, Chris Wright of Level 10 Living, are always swapping audio book ideas.

Here’s one I would like to share with YOU (for starters)…

Recently I got engrossed in the well known book by Stephen R Covey, ‘7 Habits of Highly Successful People’ and I heard the term ‘Paradigm Shifting’. This term is something we have used in our academy from the very beginning of our course development and design. Covey gives a fantastic example of how to understand this term.

But first what is a ‘Paradigm?’

The internet says;

A typical example or pattern of something; a pattern or model.

"society's paradigm of the ‘ideal woman’”

A world view underlying the theories and methodology of a particular scientific subject.

"the discovery of universal gravitation became the paradigm of successful science”

In simple terms I guess it is how you see things in your head. 

This idea would suggest it to be a great way to influence someone else behaviour by offering a new way of seeing a situation. 

The example scenario Covey experienced and explained in his book went something like this; 

A man with his 2 kids who were being unruly, running around and disturbing people, while he sat on a bench next to Covey.

Covey was trying to read his paper and felt annoyed by these ‘out of control’ kids thinking to himself.. “why cant he control his kids?”

Eventually Covey said to the man..“excuse me but aren't your kids a little out of control?”

The man replies, looking somewhat deflated.. “yes yes I guess I should but well we just left the hospital and their mother just died an hour ago and I guess they don't know yet how to deal with it and I guess me too”

Covey’s paradigm shifted in a moment once he heard the plight of this poor family and his annoyance shifted to sympathy. 

Covey encourages US to think about how OUR feelings shifted as WE heard or read the story here.

It is evidence of how ones own perception of a situation can shift instantly the moment we realise the other view point.

So can we give more detail about how WE view a situation to enable better understanding of the circumstances surrounding it or at least our view of it? 

Should we be asking more questions prior to making some kind of judgement?

Maybe we should open our thoughts to differing view points before we make a decision?

Imagine your client saying they forgot to do their exercise home work or couldn’t find time to make the healthy dinner we suggested. 

HOW ANNOYING! 

You had created a beautiful exercise sheet and paid to get it printed at the post office. Also you had taken the time to explain each one in detail and how to perform them for better movement ability ready for their next session with you. You had spent a good hour last night typing up some really simple healthy recipes for your client to make for the whole family that will contribute to their weight loss goals.

YOU would feel frustrated by the fact they turned up for they next session saying they didn't do anything with this wouldn't you!?!?

It REALLY annoys you because it will make YOU look bad as their trainer if your client is not succeeding. GGGRRRRRRR

BUT now consider how you would perceive the situation if you heard this;

They are struggling to think of anything other than their really sick parent who lives 100 miles away and they had to drive to care for them after they got a call after work that their parent had fallen and couldn't get up. So with the kids in the back of the car they had to drive straight there from the school pick up. This also meant they were left wth no time to do their exercises and to shop and create the fantastical healthy (and easy to do) meal you had suggested. Hence the fast food meal they had ended up buying instead.

Paradigm shift right?

We humans are generally empathetic by nature.

Another example relevant for our industry is that there are so many articles and videos out there that are by people who are not demonstrating an inclusive view point considering ALL of its readers or viewers. What I mean is those articles that suggest that everyone should do one thing, for example; 

? squat with toes pointing forward

? women should do more cardio

? everyone should eat paleo

? dairy is bad for you 

? orthotics are bad

? stretching is bad for you

? we should all learn to use foam rollers

None of these statements are considering every person who may squat, like dairy, need orthotics etc.

It is often a single view point that is offered into our industry about methods of exercise prescription, movement correction, risk reduction or diet etc. The author has usually had an experience that created THEIR belief or idea and maybe this happened to most of the people they knew. So they wanted to tell others in an attempt to help. 

Yet we are all different!

Some people can eat dairy, some like paleo, some do and some don't respond to stretching.

Maybe we should be encouraged to challenge the ideas we hear more, in a positive way of course! 

This would allow us to understand better the thinking behind an idea or view point we hear someone else describe. WE should give clarity on our ideas along with the WHYs.

Ultimately this would also allow us, our audience, clients and peers to appreciate better WHY WE feel the way WE do or WHY WE think this way about a certain situation.

So rather than simply following the crowd maybe we should learn about the thinking behind an idea, method or trend so we can consider logically our own view as to what is right for US or each of our clients - individually.

No method works for all, ALWAYS case by case or ‘it depends' on the individual SHOULD always be considered. 

Don’t you think?

Do you want to experience an excitingly inclusive learning environment?

Would you like to learn how to positively challenge concepts?

Are you looking for an open minded methodology of exercise prescription?

CONTACT US HERE

Reference; Stephen R Covey, ‘7 Habits of Highly Successful People’