Skillful Collaboration
I have a new dentist. About halfway through the cleaning, I asked her “how am I doing?”, she looked a little confused and said “you are doing fine” and then after a pause, she asked what I meant. I asked if I was being a skillful patient. At first surprised, she then became engaged; she said that she had never thought of it that way. I said that we were on the same team and working toward the same objective, clean teeth, speed, ease, accuracy, and connection. She said she wished all her patients saw it that way and suggested maybe I could train them.
This is a great example of a moment of level 4 altitude; we were working at a task where we were both focused on the task together and putting our attention on that rather than on ourselves. I was ignoring any inherent personal discomfort or concerns and putting as much attention on the task and flow as she was. In fact, my main job was to make her job easier and to be in flow together to get the best outcome. It is a much more satisfying way of being in the chair. Every collaborative task can have this feeling and engagement, this is how we behave when we are in a collaborative level of consciousness, it is such a satisfying and productive way to be with others.
I love to coach people who are interested in this same level of collaboration. In Inquiry Method, the skills of coaching and being coached can be equally skillful activities. Some of my most satisfying moments in life come from the moments of deep collaboration in coaching, both being coached and coaching. This is the essence of the upcoming Inquiry Method Training in July.
The other aspect of this insight is to look at the things you do with the perspective of doing them skillfully. Doing things skillfully does two things:
It is almost like meditation, all your thoughts can be focused on the task or activity. There is true joy in being that engaged in your activity. Instead of being subject to your thoughts you are actually using them for what they are meant for.
Anything you focus on from the perspective of doing them skillfully you get better at, your body and mind learn to be more nimble and focused and you often have insights that develop your capacity.
The whole purpose of Life at Altitude is to experience a more fulfilling and joyful life. Any place you can combine collaboration and skill: work, play, games, housework, dancing, cooking, sex, communication, growth…, creates more satisfaction, fulfillment, and joy. Opportunities are all around us.