3 minutes in, I was already sweating.
the goal was simple: balance on this for 7 minutes.
because this was week 38 of 53skills.com, the skill of balance, where we worked on balance in the body and in the mind.
but my legs had other plans. they shook, then they gave up.
Other 9 friends tried and they could not even last 1 minute.
my first plan was to focus hard. tense every muscle. that lasted 3 minutes.
so I tried the opposite: loose body, just chilling. it felt easy, but my mind drifted and I fell off after a couple of minutes.
too much focus and tension and you burn out.
too loose and uncaring and you fall.
you ever had this pattern in life?
in the end I did 9 minutes!! (video proof below)
Here are the useful and unusual tips for you that no AI has:
what got me there sounds like a contradiction: relax but focus!
I had to force myself to be present in the moment, just looking at the fixed point on the wall, keeping my mind focused, my body in control but also relaxed, not putting so much pressure and tension on the muscles.
It is a very interesting energy that I never felt before. I definitely think you should try it out! It usually happens after 3 to 5 minutes of balancing.
That's why you can't really get it with 30 seconds but it's worth trying out this experiment even for fun.
brain science tip: in a 2003 study, people learning to balance on a wobbly platform did better when they focused on markers away from their body instead of on their own feet. the farther away the focus point, the better they performed. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00426-002-0093-6
the week before, week 37: skill of moonwalking, taught me the same thing with my feet. the move only works when one leg holds the weight and the other is completely loose and sliding.
here are the 2 things to try.
the one-leg test. stand on one leg, soften the knee, and fix your eyes on a spot far away. then try again staring at your foot. feel the difference.
relax but focus, at work. next time something feels hard, check if you're gripping too tight. loosen your body, pick one thing outside yourself to focus on, and let the rest go.
week 39: the rubik's cube
this week I'm learning to solve a rubik's cube. I'm buying one today.
a 6-year-old in china, lian yunzhi, just broke the women's world record twice in three days, averaging under 4.5 seconds. my goal is more humble. one full solve by Sunday, no cheat sheet.
fun fact: a cube has 43 quintillion possible positions, and every one of them can be solved in 20 moves or fewer. I'll need a lot more than 20.
hit reply and tell me: have you ever solved one? I'll take every tip I can get.
- Alex
when is the last time YOU tried something new?
the 53skills.com idea is that life is not what you THINK. Life is what you DO!
last weeks (36): Drawing!
Bonus content here, to learn faster:
If you missed the previous weeks and lessons, check them out HERE:
Learn all the other unusual life lessons at 53skills.com
P.S. Share this email with a friend who wants to learn a new fun skill this year!
- Alex