Food for thought:

[elisedance]

Life is rather hectic right now for me so not so much time to peruse the works - maybe we should ask Maja to wait a bit longer  before moving onto the next lesson.

Dance, work, violin, friends, not to mention PDO - its all happening and right now its all very very good too

[samina]

Dance, work, violin, friends, not to mention PDO - its all happening and right now its all very very good too

that sounds wonderful, ee

[elisedance]

... had another one of those unforgetable lessons yesterday too... but this time on the violin
I feel so, so fortunate..

[drj]

Doesn't seem to be that much activity on the Mind Works boards... is it just because it's during the week, I wonder? I do hope it picks up... I've really been looking forward to hearing dialogue about how these laws specifically apply to dance.

There are 20 of us that registered for the program, right?

I spent much of the morning writing a lot of stuff on the various boards -- but by hand, on printouts I made for myself so I could have them with me even at work. I'll post later. I have not forgotten the MindWorks, not at all. Giving them a  lot  lot    lot    of thought.

[QPO]

I agree, I have been so busy, I hope to get to some of it today...I have read another one Polarity and will comment on that I have a couple more to go..

[Dora-Satya Veda]

I was off the internet for three days as several power line were down due to severe storms. I am back now and will get to the post again.

[bookworm]

Life is rather hectic right now for me so not so much time to peruse the works

Me too!

[QPO]

I can only do it in dribs and drabs...1. for being busy and the 2, to be able to absorb the information....but I am enjoying it immensely and it makes me think every day

[samina]

i did all my homework straightaway, but am happy to enjoy everyone else's sharings at the pace that emerges right for everyone...

need to go back and re-read an interesting post by drj on rhythm...

[ttd]

i did all my homework straightaway, but am happy to enjoy everyone else's sharings at the pace that emerges right for everyone...

need to go back and re-read an interesting post by drj on rhythm...

I keep on coming back to the homework and adding to it. I think it is the sort of homework one needs to revisit over and over.

[QPO]

yes I do too.. read my the first posting and then go back to the comments... this way it should reinforce in my brain

[Peaches]

Not sure where to put this. If you want to move it not a problem. If you want to change the title go ahead.

Dreamer, Doer or little of both.

I recently taught a student that has great potential. He wanted to sit and talk about his dancing. We looked over last year’s accomplishments and decided on a plan for next year. He was very disappointed with what he had achieved this last year. I asked him what he had done to improve himself. He told me that he looked at youtube clips every day. With a little introspection he found that he had spend the year dreaming and done very little. I then told him that if he wanted to see a difference in his results then he needed to start doing and stop dreaming.

I do agree it all start with a dream but once the dream is created, then action needs to be taken to get the dream to become a reality.  

My teacher and dance father had me go through what I had gained every year. It was great to take inventory and make plans. He always made it clear to me that if I had not gained what I wanted then new measures needed to be taken to gain what I wanted. He sometimes had me change the way I did things so that I could gain more. If I had not gained anything in the past year then what I was doing wasn’t work.

I am asking you all, this question. Looking back on last year’s dreams and accomplishments do they match? Did you do what you set out to do? If you didn’t achieve it, then why not? If yes, what did you do different then the year before?

I'm sure this thread has meandered since the OP, but I don't have time to read it all and this is interesting to me.

My answer to the question: No, not at all.  And I'm thrilled with it.

OK, to be fair, this past year is a crappy representation because I stopped taking lessons.  But the years before that...same answer. 

I made it a point--not deliberately from the outset, but it just sort of happened and then I liked it and kept with it--not to set goals for myself.  I didn't want to race and push and make dancing about working for a goal.  I wanted to enjoy the journey--the exploration, the pure enjoyment, the savoring (and cursing!) the phases of progress.  True, there were frustrations, but they were rewarding in their own way.  But I didn't want to have goals.  I didn't want to make it about achieving X level, or getting to Y point...because ultimately those points just don't matter to me.  I don't want to feel like "I could just enjoy the dance if only I was able to...do a half-dozen overturned ochos in open embrace by myself."  So I can't?  The world doesn't end.  I'm not going to beat myself up over not reaching an arbitrary goal.

I just want to see improvement, however gradual, however long it takes.  But mostly...I just want to love the dancing for itself.

So...no goals.  Not met.  Insanely happy about this.

[Maja Servé]

I am asking you all, this question. Looking back on last year’s dreams and accomplishments do they match? Did you do what you set out to do? If you didn’t achieve it, then why not? If yes, what did you do different then the year before?

some of my goals i partially met, and some i did not.  but then again, i rarely do as my expectations for myself are so high that i rarely meet them.  i think i need to devote more thought and focus to my dreams and goals in order to accomplish them.  i need to write them down on paper and refer to them frequently to stay on target.  i think if i had done these few simple things, then i would have accomplished my goals.  with goal cards in hand, i am ready for 2010!

It is time to work on getting you to meet your expectations. Work on the laws and they will help you get clear on how to work through the though waters and get to the other side. Having goal cards is going to be a great help for you. Look at them often and read then at least twice a day.

[Maja Servé]

Life is rather hectic right now for me so not so much time to peruse the works - maybe we should ask Maja to wait a bit longer  before moving onto the next lesson.

Dance, work, violin, friends, not to mention PDO - its all happening and right now its all very very good too

We can take as long time as you want to take. It would be best if you keep some form of momentum going or it will probably fade out.

[QPO]

I agree there has to be some momentum so I try to take a look and work on  some part daily...