Having A Feel For Things

‘I feel the earth move – under my feet. I feel the sky tumbling down…’ ~ Carole King

Running barefoot and doing core training taught me two main things: having a feel for my surroundings and my body.

Sports teach us about feeling, and feeling sensations outside our body (exteroception) as well as inside (interoception). It is about developing a feel for movement, momentum and mobility. How we move, move faster and move around dictates our results and impact on others. Results without relationships can be a hollow victory. It is akin to celebrating by yourself when you succeed. That is why our Iron-Crew and Iron-Mates are crucial to our total success as lifestyle athletes.

When you run barefoot, or walk barefooted on the beach you activate your connection with the ground. Terra firma – the earth beneath our feet – gives us a sense of rooting our self to something. By having our feet on the ground, we are earthed and realistic. It is the antithesis of building castles in the air, where we do not have the building material and place to anchor it. Virtual space is still space, whereas landed property is based on an acreage, and land.

When you stand on one foot, you will activate your proprioceptors – internal balancing centres. Proprioception means ‘sense of self’. In the limbs, the proprioceptors are bodily sensors that provide information about joint angle, muscle length, and tension, which is integrated to give information about the position of the limb in space. How we land when running, or put our foot on the pedal during cycling, and stay balanced when dancing – engages proprioception. Close your eyes; when you stay balanced your proprioception is activated.

Leadership lessons: How do you develop a feel for your people? How much do you engage your intuition? How do you connect with people?

Consider a feel for business. How do you develop a feel for people as well as for the business? Here is my interview with business author Guy Kawasaki on how to keep your clients and colleagues enchanted.