I Don't Want to Make Any Mistakes

What does your BodyThinking have to do with making mistakes?

EVERYTHING.

Because belief is muscular. When you start thinking, you start moving too. For example – say you're tense with the worry of something going wrong. Well then, because you are tensing, something goes wrong! Today in class was a beautiful example of just that - how beliefs jeopardize the physical dexterity of complex skills.

My trainee plays the French Horn and has been studying at BodyChance for several years. Today she was concerned about her musical teaching to her students.

"Sometimes, my student wants me to demonstrate with the horn. Then I worry that I cannot make a mistake as I am demonstrating for them."

That's the surface worry. There's more underneath, so I decided to probe a little:

"What kind of teacher do you want to be for your student?"

One kind is the perfect teacher, the Master, who never makes mistakes. This image of the teacher puts you far, far into the future of the student's mind. You are their impossible dream – they want to become you. And yes, that kind of teacher really cannot make a mistake.

The other kind is the imperfect teacher – the perpetual learner, who still makes mistakes. This image of the teacher puts you on the same side of the student. Together you look to the future of what you both want to become.

"What kind of teacher do you want to be?"

She knew immediately she wanted to be the second kind of teacher.

Students are thrilled when they see their teacher make mistakes. Not maliciously, more selfishly – because seeing that their teacher makes mistakes permits them to make mistakes too. They feel safer with a teacher like that, and paradoxically more able to takes risks.

"So go ahead," I said, "and play the horn."

She didn't have to make mistakes, and she didn't have to avoid them either. Mistakes were no longer the issue, helping the student was the issue. So she decided to play the horn to the best of her ability at that time.

Now I don't really understand music, so when she finally stopped playing and started to laugh, I wasn't sure why. I figured she stopped because she made a mistake – although I hadn't noticed one - so I ask her how it was!

"I played well." 

And she laughed some more. 

Although I am offering my BodyThinking Online course at a steep discount this month, the best part of this deal is the chance to work with me in several live online sessions. I am throwing in that coaching as part of my offer. No extra cost, a real bonus. 

A class every month starting in January through to March.

You’ll hear more about that once you buy. Read about the Online Course here:

https://bodychance.mykajabi.com/store/oTZvjLye