John Peel, voice-bringer

November 30, 2008

In my teens and early twenties I was an avid fan of John Peel‘s Radio 1 program. I recently got a CD of tracks he played in the period 1977-87 – just the time I was a listener. It brought back a lot of memories. Not just of people and events and first snogs, as teenage records are supposed to, but of ideas. John Peel was a colossal and lasting influence on me, not least in the way I think. I admired his openness to hearing what anyone had to say musically. He gave a lot of people a chance to be heard, and a lot more the inspiration to get out and be heard.

That’s very valuable. Being heard is something we all need. That’s not about having everyone listen to you. Top 20 records were getting played over and over on everyone else’s shows, but the more I heard them the less I wanted to listen. It’s about being part of a conversation. If you were played on John Peel’s show, you were really part of something. You were expressing something. Just listening to his show made you part of the conversation. That’s being really heard – being part of a community of listening. Because you can’t be heard without other people’s engagement.

John Peel demonstrated that listening and being listened to are inseperable. His show was listened to devotedly. Why? Because of all the listening he constantly did to all the records and demo tapes bands (including mine!) sent him. Listening to his show inspired me to listen and to express myself – and to do it authentically, because otherwise it wouldn’t be me that was being heard.

1 Comment | fun, self-development | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by marklister

Resistance is…

November 19, 2008

Mountain biking is my exercise of choice. I get out when I can, and when I can’t, I’ve a turbo trainer which converts my bike into a static exercise bike. I’m also an enthusiastic heart rate monitor user – it really lets me see exactly how hard I’m working.

There’s been a fly in the ointment of my fitness though. The bottom bracket – the axle which goes through the frame, around which the pedals rotate – is worn out. This adds friction, but I’ve put up with it. I’ve even made a virtue of it – the extra resistance will make me fitter, I’ve told myself. The truth is though, when I’m out on the trails, it just slows me down. I work just as hard and get less enjoyment.

So I finally changed it, and today took it for its first spin on the turbo trainer. I got quite a surprise. Doing my regular routine, my heart rate was consistently 4-5% lower than usual at any given point. Sounds terrifically geeky, but the point is, by attending to the resistance, I made life easier for myself. That 5% could mean reaching the top of the hill panting, rather than with my heart trying to smash through my ribcage. That in turn would make the whole ride a lot more fun.

This got me thinking – where else is there resistance in my life? And what would be the knock-on effects of doing something about it? Resistance always points to a need, like the resistance on my bike telling me the bottom bracket needed changing.

So there’s a useful exercise here. Try this:

1. Notice something you’re resisting (eg. applying for a job you’d love)

2. Ask youself what the really difficult part is (eg. you’ll feel stupid if you don’t get it)

3. Ask yourself what you need (eg. reassurance, support, encouragement, recognition)

4.Think about the impact of overcoming the resistance (eg. hey, perhaps you WILL get it! That’ll lead to fulfillment, maybe more pay or better conditions, working with great people. Even if you don’t, you’ll feel better for having tried – it NEVER feels bad to get over a hurdle! It’ll be good practice, you’ll get round to updating your CV, you could get some useful feedback, you’ll have the opportunity to learn something)

5. Get what you need (eg. from a friend or colleague – someone you’ll trust and listen to)

6. Go for it.

Leave a Comment » | change, self-development | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by marklister

Shift happens!

November 6, 2008

So Obama did it. Erm…  YAAAYYYYY!!

I always thought he would, but for me the scale of his victory’s significance took all of yesterday really to sink in.

It’s an amazing expression of the fact that anything’s possible, and triggered a tsunami of positivity around the world. That’s the real juice of this event – it flagged up a global paradigm shift. The world is tired of the old way. Of kow-towing to vested interests. Of saying “Yes that’s all very well but it’s not that simple to implement.” Of living in a rut. Of stagnation.

Obama’s being compared with Martin Luther King. I think the joy is in the difference. Dr King was a campaigner for change, whereas Obama’s a figurehead of and catalyst for change. King fought for change, Obama lives it. Each is a vital figure, in their own context and time. Obama is a measure of King’s success. A reflection of what people can achieve when they choose not to be stopped by the usual crap.

Which raises the question – what could YOU achieve, if you chose not to be stopped by all the usual crap?

Leave a Comment » | change, leadership, News, self-development | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by marklister

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