We are always falling.
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Notes
Attachment (to outcome, reception, standing) is an attempt to find a foundation in free fall. There is nothing to grab onto. We are always falling.
“The strongest foundation we can find is the realization that there is no foundation.” That frees us up to focus on the work. The practice becomes (like) a foundation.
Thoughts
Taking the metaphor seriously—we are always in free fall, and anything we grab onto offers only a distracting illusion of control—is kind of terrifying. But it opens up the idea that we can choose: do we want to try to grab onto something nearby (which is also falling), or do we want to dance in the air, creating the work?
I’m not sure where the metaphor takes me, at this point. I’m not sure that attachment is my big issue, at least not at this point. I grab onto distraction, probably to keep from noticing the free fall.
Speaking of distraction, I can’t say the words “free falling” without cueing up Tom Petty’s song…
This series is meant to capture my thoughts as I work through Seth Godin’s The Practice. It’s a book with over 200 (very short) chapters, which I hope to work through and, I further hope, to implement over time.
If you’re interested in more of Godin’s ideas, or my thoughts about them, you can check out this collection of posts. Note that if you’re more interested in the former, you should probably get Godin’s book and read it yourself; my notes will be both incomplete and idiosyncratic, and my thoughts will relate to my own experience.
But if my thoughts resonate with you, or if you think I’m just silly, I welcome your comments.