Winter’s coming and I’m a cold weather wimp so I’ve moved my daily jog indoors. To the untrained eye, my time on the treadmill would appear pointless, as would the pushups and curls and crunches.
Running in Place Gets Me Somewhere
Aboard the treadmill, I’m going nowhere, and, in my case, nowhere slow. The work I do with weights and the weight of my own body accomplishes very little in terms of output. But I know how absolutely necessary all that pushing and pulling and plodding in place actually is.
Exercise helps me relax and focus, and it’s the best thing I’ve found to date to keep me sane. It also doesn’t hurt that it strengthens my heart and lungs and muscles, and helps me burn some fat.
Creating in Place Does Much the Same
Creative exercise works much the same.
On one level, it seems pointless. I spend time writing in a notebook, filling it with thoughts and words no one would want to read. I practice chords and scales on my guitar which are things no one would care to listen to. And now, having gone back to the drawing board, I make odd sketches that no one’s going to be putting in a frame anytime soon.
But these things are necessary. They build my creative muscles (and the muscles of my fingers in the case of the guitar). They increase my endurance and ability to focus. In many ways they help me burn the fat of worry, because when I get lost in these exercises, the worry melts away.
Diamonds in the Rough Drafts
And every now and then, they produce something workable, something I can take with me and turn into something more than an otherwise pointless exercise. After all, running on a treadmill means I can dance at weddings without getting winded.
When you can’t see the point of what you’re doing, try a pointless exercise. You’ll find it’s not so pointless after all.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I love this idea! I’m going to put it on my bulletin board – “I you can’t see the point of what you’re doing, try doing something pointless.”
Thank you.
Ken, thanks for another insightful and motivating blog post.
.-= Denny McCorkle´s last blog ..Aha! Words: from A to Z. =-.
This is just what I needed to hear today – thank you Ken!
I can keep going
Cath
.-= CathD´s last blog ..What Other Coaches & Bloggers Are Saying About Goal-Setting =-.
Another post chock full of insight Ken, on two points for me personally:
First I know I need to build the habit of that “pointless exercise” into my life. Unfortunately so far I am only doing it in fits and starts, but, I guess, that is better than never. That habit continues to be a work in progress. It feels like this post is gently nudging me back to those exercise sessions. I’m always glad once I get going.
Second, I am a knitter and have many unfinished projects or just swaths of knitted up yarn. What a great way to look at all of that “unfinished” work. There is always something that can be learned from each of those pieces so I think I will acknowledge that they are practice pieces or “diamonds in the rough”.
Thanks again for another “right-on” post!