growth

MORE Life Lessons from Jiu Jitsu

December 17, 2018 by Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. Leave a Comment

On multiple days each week, my wife and I play a game. She points to a bruise and asks, “How’d that happen?”

Fair question. But I don’t have a specific question. All I can say is, “Rolling at jiu jitsu.” Yep, my 52 year old body has to tolerate my decision to take up jiu jitsu last January.

A few months after I started going to jiu jitsu, I posted a podcast episode on Lessons I Learned At Jiu Jitsu.

MoreLessonsJiuJitsu Well, here we are, some 11 months later. And I have learned a few more lessons.

Since I posted the first episode, I have continued going to class throughout the week. And with continuing to go, I also progressed. In the Gracie Academy framework, I earned my Combatives Belt back in November. That means that… well… I am still a white belt. Just an advanced white belt!

Which means that I am now allowed in the advanced class, the Blue Belt Cycle.

Which meant that everything I had learned up until then was met with a block or defense when I tried it on a higher ranked belt. It had worked fine before! But now, I was back to square one.

As I have told a few people, it is kind of like when you are in the last year of middle school. You think you are “top dog,” and strut around a little, pretending to own that school. Then, you go to high school. And you discover you are at the bottom of the ladder. Back to beginner. That would be me. Back to beginner.

Humbling? A little. But more of a reminder that progress includes lots of new beginning points. So now, when I can’t make a move (or more likely, when I get submitted and have to tap), I just have to laugh… then learn.

Listen in to this week’s episode for 4 more life lessons I have (re)learned from jiu jitsu.

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Extend Your 3 Horizons to Thrive

September 21, 2015 by Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. Leave a Comment

Extend your 3 horizons to really thrive. Sometimes, the horizon can seem to stretch in front of us forever. Sometimes, it seems that we are smack up against the world. We can’t see beyond where we are. We can’t see past our problems and struggles.

Time to extend and expand your horizons.

There are three horizons we can all expand: our problem horizon, opportunity horizon, and growth horizon.

When we can’t see past our problems, our problem horizon is limited. At those times, you can believe that there is nothing on the other side of a problem or situation.

Sometimes, we just can’t see any opportunities. Our opportunity horizon is too small, too close. There seems to be no options, no possibility, no opportunities. At the same time, others are seeing an opportunity everywhere. The difference is their opportunity horizon.

And there are times when we just don’t believe we can grow and change. Our change horizon is too small. Maybe you tell yourself that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” But in reality, we are ever-changing and ever-growing. The question is only on how intentional we can be about that growth. Do we embrace change or run from it? Do we see our place of growth, or hide from it?

Learn more about your 3 horizons. And then learn 5 steps to expanding and extending your horizons.

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Resolve!: Your 2015 Resolution in 1 Word

December 29, 2014 by Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. 1 Comment

I always love New Years. A fresh start! New beginnings!

It is really the same reason I always liked the end of a semester at school. While arbitrary, it felt like a fresh start, and a chance to do things differently.

So, I used to sit down and right out my New Years’ Resolutions. I “limited” myself to 10.

If I were lucky, one of the 10 would still be going, come February.

One year, I thought, “This is not working! I will only do 3 resolutions!”

That was minimally more effective. Instead of a 10% success rate, I would be 33% successful. Much better, but still not great.

And generally, the resolutions didn’t move me forward very far.

There had to be a better way. . . .

Eight years ago, my church decided to choose a word to live into. That word was a word to stretch into, to grow into, to become.

THAT made the difference!

I became conscious about that word, focused myself on the word, and saw myself growing.

Since, my family has continued that tradition. Each New Year’s Eve, we share our word with each other.

This year, my word is. . . . Well, you will have to wait. It isn’t New Year’s Eve yet!

Want to know how to change your resolution into something that makes a difference?

Listen to my audio below. Then if you want, please leave your word in the comments below!

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