Antennae Squashed, Reception Hazy.

Published: 28 Jul 2006 - 12:23 by theguru

Updated: 08 Apr 2011 - 17:53

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We all know the saying well...

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

And allowing for the fact that, as we grow older and for some, a little wiser, I can't help feeling that it is just not cynicism that makes us believe that the saying is true. There are many other sayings and cliches on a similar theme. Whilst meditating the other day I made a mental list. Here are the ones I remember (I would appreciate anyone with more to add a reply)

For every Man (Woman) there is a child within
The Grass is always greener on the other side of the hill(yea, right)
History repeats itself
It's deja vu all over again
We tend to repeat the same mistakes

I wish I had deja vu all over again now, because then I could remember the ones that I had forgotten, but instead I find myself repeating the same mistake of not writing down these things immediately I had thought of them. Be that as it may, it does not alter the fact that each of us likes to operate in our own comfort zone.

As I have asked many times before, what has this got to do with Squash?

As you may have noticed if you have read my rantings previously, I seldom answer a question immediately, I tend to skirt around the issue, building up to the inevitable denouement which I hope will eventually bring me wealth and recognition. I don't intend to change my modus operandi on this occasion as this desire for these things comes as a direct result of a neglected and impoverished childhood which still drives all my actions.

But rather than leave the article there, knowing that I have proved my point already, I will continue to press upon your goodwill and keep reading, in the hope that, at some stage later in the article I might have something valuable, or, at the very least, sensible, to say.

But I digress.

Not That Zone, The Other Zone

Unless we take ourselves out of our own comfort zone, our striving for improvement may lead us to move in ever decreasing circles, with the inevitable result of ending up "you know where." It is self evident that taking ourselves out of that comfort zone can be very uncomfortable. That is why it is the rare exception rather than the rule that any individual does this.

I am immediately and somewhat cynically reminded of politicians who will continually assault us with pleas that we must adapt, must change, must move with the times. It is with some regret that I report that in all but the rarest of cases, that these same politicians are incapabale of change. They demonstrate with their actions, a total lack of ability to listen and adapt or change their own opinions when provided with information that might, to fair minded people, be enough to do so.

All this waffle serves to enforce the point that to improve, one needs to change and adapt. To improve one's Squash game, one needs to take oneself out of one's comfort zone and explore some unchartered waters. it can be disconcerting and uncomfortable no matter how motivated one is to effect that change.

Nice Reception

Having been involved in guiding troubled youth (some might call it parenting, I call it community service) I know how difficult it is for some to see value in other peoples' opinion. That includes times when others have hired one to provide that opinion. This, of course is central t the role of any coach in any field of endeavour. The target of the advice or the central figure who wants or needs to effect change, must be receptive.

By being receptive, one is open to incremental change which is not as painful or as uncomfortable as major change. Even so, lisening to and acting upon advice, feedback or any other term one would like to put to it, will produce some discomfort. If you are comfortable with that, you will find it easier to effect change.

I am sure you will find that comforting.

Get Serious, Play Dodgems

To apply this principle to physical activity in general and Squash in particular, one will feel a level of discomfort in doing something different, even when it might look perfectly natural from the outside. The conscious state is telling one's body to move in a certain way, but one's muscle memory which incorporates our sub conscious mind is saying something contradictory.

Therefore, to effect permanent change the battle of the conscious over the sub conscious needs to be won and for that conscious action to replace the defeated subconscious action. The same applies when changing one's habits.

The irony of all this, is that those who are receptive, operate in a far bigger rut than those who are not. Because of this they can bump around in their world far more something like a dodgem car, each time they bump into the edges they break off a little more, gradually moving out into new territory. In that, they do not change.

Which all goes to prove the point : the more things change, the more they stay the same.