Author: Dave English

Effortlessness and yet such total presence

By Dave English

“Rowing at its best occurs when you are gliding through the water with such effortlessness and yet such total presence that you almost seem to disappear. Rowers use the term ‘swing’ to refer to that magical kind of condition when the boat seems to fly over the water and a lot of effort disappears from the stroke. The athlete becomes completely the servant of the oars, the water, and the shell; your individuality—your separate self—isn’t there anymore.… Rowing can get you in a state where you’re ready to expand your definition of yourself, and I call that an expansion of … Continue reading Effortlessness and yet such total presence

Astronaut Chris Hadfield on negative thinking

By Dave English

“Self-help gurus are always advising us to think positively and envisage success, but it’s about as helpful as thinking about cupcakes. Just thinking about them isn’t going to help. It’s more important to think what could go wrong with a mission. Visualize failings, not success. That’s what’s essential to survival as an astronaut. I was an astronaut for 21 years, but I only spent six months in space. The rest of the time, I was looking into every detail that might have gone wrong during a mission. Once you’ve understood all the potential risks and you’re forewarned against them, fear no longer … Continue reading Astronaut Chris Hadfield on negative thinking

Dani Arnold on self-criticism

By Dave English

Several great ideas in this interview of record-breaking mountaineer Dani Arnold: “Climbing is all in the mind. It’s about being fully conscious in the here and now, not getting distracted by anything and keeping totally focused.” “You’ve always got to be brutally honest with yourself. That also means acknowledging your own weaknesses and limitations and then working on them.”