A couple of months ago I signed up for an online course to learn about recording and mixing music in a home studio environment. Although I have a degree in music, learning about this aspect of things is very new to me. I’ve really been enjoying going through the lessons at my own pace, and practicing on some songs Caleb and I have written, but my progress has slowed down a bit over the past couple of weeks with all the life craziness I shared about in my last blog.
Last week, there was a live zoom workshop where you could check in with the teacher of the course, ask questions and get feedback. It was at a time I could actually make, I knew it would be really valuable, and I knew it would help me gain some momentum again. Still, my mind conjured up a list of “reasons” for not attending… What if everyone is really far ahead of where I’m at, and I can’t keep up? What if it’s really basic and covering stuff I already feel confident with? Wouldn’t it be better to just watch the recording later so I don’t have to risk interacting with anyone if I don’t want to?
Fortunately, I know myself well enough to question if irrational fears are influencing my decisions, and if my desire to feel safe is keeping me from growing. I mean, it was a zoom meeting I could attend from the comfort of my own home, where I could turn off sound and video, and leave whenever I wanted to. Seriously, just show up.
I showed up, and I’m so glad I did. Yes, there was some information that was ahead of where my knowledge is currently, and some people with more experience than me. There were also people who were very new to music, and topics that were reminders for me. I feel great that I got a couple of questions answered, and now have a path forward for what I want to work on next. Most importantly, I reminded myself of how powerful it is to be “in the room”. Even if the room is just a zoom meeting, there is something very different about joining live instead of watching later. It’s a different energy.
Of course, this got me thinking about our Breakthrough community. So often I meet with new people who are nervous to get started, wondering how they will fit in and what it will be like. Will people judge them? Will they be welcomed? Will they be pushed so hard they can’t keep up? Or will they not be challenged enough to keep making progress? Fortunately, it usually only takes a session or two before new people realize they have a place “in the room”, no matter where they are at in their journey. And continuing to show up in a place full of like-minded people will help them get results better, and faster than trying to figure it all out alone.
I see this in such a big way now that the Tactical Strength Challenge has kicked off. Since everyone participating is training for the same three events happening on a specific day, it has a different feel than the semi-privates where people are doing their own program. The team practice days especially have a powerful energy that I always find inspiring.
I love seeing people who are new to the challenge develop a certain confidence over the 7 weeks of training. I see them watching the more experienced lifters, and taking in coaching cues and concepts for the first time. There is the excitement of being in uncharted territory almost every week, and the possibility of a huge new personal record on challenge day – in some part because they had no idea how much they were really capable of.
I also love how our TSC veterans lead and inspire. They explain the ropes to new participants. They are focused. They take in the reminders on the basics they have heard hundreds of times because they know being an expert at the basics is what actually gets results. And even though the excitement of huge “beginners PRs” might be behind them, there is the same sense of accomplishment in adding another 5 pounds to the bar or another rep to the snatch test. Or in my case and a few others, not worrying about new records at all, and just being happy to participate after recovering from injuries or other life events.
One of our core values is “Keep learning and improving every day”. I push myself to explore new things that I am interested in, even if I feel nervous about being inexperienced. I learn by teaching and coaching because people process information differently and have different backgrounds and experiences, which often forces me to adapt and find new ways to communicate. Sharing what I know also reminds me of the basics, and of how far I’ve come in my own journey.
I remember getting the advice at some point in my youth to look for opportunities throughout life to be a brand new beginner, as well as an experienced guide and mentor. I try to show up in a variety of rooms – some where I’m a newer kid on the block seeking knowledge, some where I’m a more seasoned professional sharing what I know, and many where I’m something in between.
I do a decent job of being self motivated and learning on my own. But if it’s something I really care about, I always reach a point where I need to get in the room where things are happening. When my progress has stalled, when fear starts creeping into my decisions, when playing safe and small is halting my evolution, I need to get in the room. I need to be around other people to learn from, share with, get inspired by, and be challenged by. I know I’m not alone in that.
Every room/community needs people with different experiences in order to thrive. So, if you’ve been showing up for yourself in this way, cheers to you! I hope you find fresh enthusiasm to keep going. If you need a reminder to claim your place in whatever room you’ve been thinking of, I hope this can help remind you that you belong!