M01.01 - Who Is Going To Drive Your Success?

We Alexander Technique teachers are a funny lot – all fierce individualists. Me too. Don’t you think it rather strange that there are so few collaborative efforts amongst teachers? When you look at Pilates, or Yoga or Reflexology or Acupuncture or Massage or Psychology or NLP you can find dozens of companies in each of those business. And yet when you come to Alexander Technique you can only find one – BodyChance. Stephen Shaw’s company too if you include Shaw Method practitioners. But that’s it. Can you think of any commercial companies with a whole bunch of staff doing things that have nothing to do with the service side in the Alexander Technique world? What organizations can you think of in the Alexander Technique world that have a full-time non-volunteer staff of 7 employees? Have you ever wondered why there are so scarce? My own mouth taught me why in a shocking exchange just two nights ago… The Truth Comes Out I wrote about a well-to-do Japanese businessman last week, and we finally met at Just Host in Meguro to chew the fat and see if we could do business together. There were many good ideas, but as I listened, something dawned upon me about his intention, so I asked him directly: “Do you want to get into the business of Alexander Technique?” He said yes. He explained he had a strong company with 60 employees, they owned three buildings and he was ready to diversify into other areas… What came out of my mouth shocked even me as I was saying it… “Don’t do it. Don’t go into Alexander Technique business – it is too hard. What would people say if you told them you were going to start an airline? They’d say – are you crazy?! Well, that’s the Alexander Technique business is. It’s industrial, long term, risky. There are a lot of other businesses you can diversify into aside from that!” “Really?” was all he could manage. He was rather shocked by my speech. So was I. That made two of us in shock. There’s a reason so many teachers struggle, why so few are unable to make a living teaching this work. No-one understands it. Even Paul, my 30k a year business consultant is finally coming around to agreeing that the Alexander Technique is the weirdest business he has ever encountered. It’s nice to have that confirmed by someone who has started or consulted on literally hundreds of different businesses. It’s not just my idea. You and I - we need each other. I came to realize that, which is why I started blogging so fiercely last year. This next course is all about co-operation. It’s all about letting our guard down, being honest and sharing our ups and downs with each other, so each of us can benefit from the wisdom of others. You are in a membership site, not so easy for people to get in here. We Teachers Each Other How To Do Alexander Business If you think I am all teacher, and you are all student, then you have forgotten what it is like when you are teaching Alexander Technique at a high level. Aren’t the best lessons you give the ones where you learn the most? Our students – YOU – are gifts. Students are the people that make it possible for teachers to learn. It’s one reason I am a big fan of Justin Bieber. He says this all the time “thank you to my fans.” So I say “thank you to you” What a great role model Justin is for our younger generation. Gone are the drugs. Gone is the attitude. In its place a sweet, genuine person, full of love for others, trying to make life better through his music. Don’t ever roll your eyes or fall into the trap of dismissing this extraordinary human being. The world is a much better place for Justin. Who taught me that? My two daughters – Angelica’s room is covered over with his pictures, and I am so grateful he is a role model for her. So that is the deep theme of this next course: let’s start to work together. We are quite a small group and that is deliberate on my part. Quality does not comes from numbers, it comes from extraordinary commitment. All of you have that – I know. How do I know? Because you are still reading! Let’s be role models for each other. Let’s be inspired and supported by each other. Let’s get over our habit of thinking we have to do this all alone, and learn that passion co-opted with compassion and trust – love – is the most powerful success driver of all time. TOMORROW: How Does BodyChance Work? Could You Build A Business Like This?