Being Part of the Whole Solution

So summer in Seattle is finally here. Or is it? Yes it is. Wait… now it’s not… wait…

Anyway, you get the picture. Things seem to be changing all the time. Understanding, accepting and rebelling against it are all part of the picture… the whole picture.

The Whole Picture: Physical Analogy

So I’ve obviously got the ‘whole’ picture in my systemic brain again, and I’ve been thinking about the physical changes I have been going through over the last 5-6 months. 

A little background:

About 6 months ago I started changing my exercise patterns. I started changing the ‘how’ of what I was doing. More specifically, that meant that I was still doing things like running, biking and lifting weights, but I started focusing on overall body strength, something I always intended, but was failing at…

I was going to the gym and working on specific parts of my body (i.e. “today I’m going to focus on arms"). This is a great strategy for many people, as everyone’s body is different. Ideally, my body ‘wants’ to be more of a “runner’s build,’ one that is lean with somewhat low fat—but not a huge ‘bulky build.’ It’s just not what my body gravitates towards. All of a sudden… I started filling out. I was apparently becoming more balanced—imagine that!

Change Through a Different Perspective

It all started when I learned so much through a single, short meet at the gym with a trainer. She changed everything (thank you Stephanie, wherever you are now).

She taught me rather quickly that in order to do what I really wanted to do (like build overall strength, and not bulky, bigger muscles) I need to focus on a wider picture: muscle groups that are more inclusive to larger areas or “regions.” Basically, those regions are: legs, chest and back. Done correctly, with the right exercises, form, number of sets, reps, and wait periods, a 40-minute work out is a real BURNER, and it can also cover all the other muscles in the process! Yes, that’s right, more “bang for your buck” in less time. 

THEN, I rolled out the same approach to running. My long runs, and my running approach in general were about burning calories (I ran one consistent speed, and since I had plateaued, I only raised my heart rate significantly when I would take on the hills or mountains). Right now I am running for 30-40 minutes (instead of 60 or more) and doing intervals (short 30 second ‘bursts’ of speed every minute or two). The same experience… a real burner in less time, I raise my heart rate, and boy do my legs feel it!

The result: within weeks I felt and saw many benefits. My weight appears more ‘distributed,’ and I seem to have a bit more definition. Oh yeah… and I FEEL better and stronger. Hey, this is hard work, but it’s also fun!

Anyway, my point is: to get what we want, we have to pay careful attention to how we intend to get what we want. Let’s assume you know what you want (I think my intention was eventually clarified. Being teased by a trainer witnessing me doing weight training that was about isolating muscles for bulk, was a little humbling).

Wait a minute, aren’t abs supposed to be flat, not big?

From Physical Exercise to Business Delivery Plans 

Said another way, if we intend to actually be part of the solution—whether in your personal fitness, or in collaboration with others to deliver a solution—you really have to be part of the whole solution. Even though fixing a problem is a common reality in many situations—and very appropriate—try to leave the band aids at home and see how everything ‘fits.’

“If you’re not the solution, you’re part of the problem.”

Getting it Straight: In Business and in Life

Intention is a truly fabulous concept, but if it remains that—a concept—it is not an active part of the solution. When it’s an idealistic thought or a wild dream, it’s simply dead…it’s not doing anything for anyone. So if you have your intention down, pay attention to how you want to hit those goals. 

Being part of the whole solution may involve some careful study, and sometimes more importantly—some time to fully flesh out an understanding of what can work or not work. That’s also called trial-and-error, or just “trying things.” Please don’t keep trying the same things expecting different results—that’s the definition of insanity! 

Ok, maybe I was guilty of that with this whole fitness thing.

Enjoy the Place, Enjoy the Moment, Enjoy the System

In my case, I was in a great place physically, but I had plateaued. I was bored and ready for the “next level.” My intention had desire, but apparently no motivation to search out a solution (that was probably due to my winter depression—who knows).

Thinking more “systemically” can be a natural part of life, and for many people it’s intuitive, but it still seems to require some training or conscious awareness and trial and error. 

Systemic solutions can sometimes be counter-intuitive on the surface. Maybe more on that in another post, let’s not get too far off topic.

Whatever your situation—whether personal or professional—watch the ‘how’ of your approach, and see what works. Being part of the whole solution requires not only intention, but awareness of the bigger operating system of stakeholders, products, services, target audience, long-term and short-term goals, intended (and unintended) consequences—and so on.

Nothing’s really in “Isolation”

At the end of the day, when it comes to fitness: no one muscle really ever works alone, and the strength of one muscle is affected by the others around it—it’s a system that branches outward in all directions—strength in numbers, or is it strength built up by those around it. Hmmm… muscular collaboration! 

;)

Thanks Steph—I think I’m starting to get it. Now… on to the next challenge!

m

Go hike that mountain... SNOW on Rainier!