Yesterday, I was writing and getting ready for class this morning. I pulled The Promise of Paradox by Parker Palmer off the shelf and looked for a reference. When I opened the book, it was to the page with this poem on it. When I focus on the need to win, as Chuang Tzu suggested, I am drained of power and divided against myself. The way to victory is to let go of the chase for victory and the avoidance of defeat.
We talked about the binary world we live in. Winning and losing are part of this binary. They sit at extremes and point in opposite directions. When I let go of and let myself enter the between space, I find my way better.
Take care and enjoy Sabbath.
When an archer is shooting for nothing
He has all the skill.
If he shoots for a brass buckle
He is already nervous.
If he shoots for a prize of gold
He goes blind
Or sees two targets—
He is out of his mind!
His skill has not changed. But the prize
Divides him. He cares.
He thinks more of winning
Than of shooting—
And the need to win
Drains him of power.
About ivonprefontaine
In keeping with bell hooks and Noam Chomsky, I consider myself a public and dissident intellectual. Part of my work is to move beyond (transcend) institutional dogmas that bind me to defend freedom, raising my voice to be heard on behalf of those who seek equity and justice in all their forms.
I completed my PhD in Philosophy of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. My dissertation and research was how teachers experience becoming teachers and their role as leaders.
I focus on leading, communicating, and innovating in organizations. This includes mindfuful servant-leadership, World Cafe events, Appreciative Inquiry, and expressing one's self through creativity. I offer retreats, workshops, and presentations that can be tailored to your organzations specific needs.
I published peer reviewed articles about schools as learning organizations, currere as an ethical pursuit, and hope as an essential element of adult eductaion. I published three poems and am currently preparing my poetry to publish as an anthology of poetry.
I present on mindful leadership, servant leadership, schools as learning organizations, how teachers experience becoming teachers, assessement, and critical thinking. I facilitate mindfulness, hospitality retreats. and World Cafe Events using Appreciative Inquiry.
I am writing and researching about various forms of leadership, how teachers inform and form their identity as a particular teacher, schools as learning organizations, hope and its anticipatory relationship with the future, and hope as an essential element in learning.
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 
It’s muscle memory, instinct, training, repetition. And yes, you can get in your own way by overthinking, haha.
On the other hand, if you turn off completely you might not get it back. Balance.
It is balance and finding something that allows things to happen while being fully attentive.
This one is going up on my wall TODAY!!! I try to practice this in my life and nearly always fail. I do need constant reminder because not to aim for a specific outcome brings so much peace. Thank you Ivon.
You are welcome Yaz. It is an extremely challenging thing to, letting go and accepting what comes. Just the effort is often commendable and the necessary first step.
Heraclitus would say that two opposites are one and the same, both leading to unhealthy extremes. Aristotle talks about the Golden Mean, the middle way between two extremes.
I think you have to find the balance, but that requires letting go and being willing to accept the outcome as the outcome.
We become better or probably best when we do things just for the love of it. When our drives are just love and passion other than prize or reward. Thanks for sharing, I learn a lot.
Thank you for the insightful comment and you are welcome.
Very nice post. Interesting.
Thank you Lvsrao.
the need to win works as a great motivator.
It can at times.
the need to win
Drains him of power………….stress management – beautifully explained
with regards
Thank you for the comment and the re-blog. Both are deeply appreciated.
Reblogged this on aksharaalu – Best Collections and commented:
stress management – beautifully explained