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on riding a unicycle

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on riding a unicycle

balance requires effort

Jim Dalling
Jan 29, 2022
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on riding a unicycle

www.remarkablefoolsletter.com

How do you balance on that thing?

That’s the question people asked me the most when I used to ride my unicycle around my Toronto neighbourhood.

Simple, I keep moving.

Initially when learning to ride a unicycle, my movements were wild, flailing and quite dramatic. Over time, riding a unicycle, my movements became more refined. The act was never effortless, but I became more efficient.

All balance, whether on a tight wire, unicycle, giant balance ball or any of the other kinds of circus / street performance apparatus, is an active thing.

Finding balance requires effort.

And?

When we’re first learning something or making big changes, balance requires a lot more effort, a lot more awareness. Initially, learning balance can seem like wild, dramatic flailing.

And?

If we don’t give ourselves permission to flail, fail and fall, we’ll never get the ability to go from four wheels to two and from two wheels to four.

It’s like the old saying goes:

If your shoes stink, you’ll likely need to wash your socks more often than you do meow.

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on riding a unicycle

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3 Comments
Iain
Jan 29, 2022Liked by Jim Dalling

Alas! No Like button today on the email. Like! Like!

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1 reply by Jim Dalling
Heather Anne
Jan 29, 2022Liked by Jim Dalling

Failing our way to success. How egotistical is it to expect immediate success? What a burden to place on someone? I have come to really enjoy doing things that I do miserably for the sheer joy of the improvement. What if success was getting better, and not being perfect. Wouldn't people be happier?

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