Thoughts on Yoga
Commitment and Success
2007-10-09
As some of you know, my car is decorated with a huge replica of our studio's logo. When I am out and about I am often approached by folks who are curious about yoga.
Untold numbers of people have confided to me they would "like" to do some yoga and will "try" to make it to class "some day." Which is why I have never seen any of these folks turn up in a class.
If you want the benefits of yoga, you need to commit to it. You'll know you are commited to learning yoga when you: a) purchase a class card; b)write it into your schedule at least once per week and c) don't let anything stop you from showing up at the scheduled time.
Until the student has established these criteria, they are still in danger of quitting. They are not far ahead of the "I would like to...try...someday" crowd. As soon as it becomes a little inconvient, they will give up on coming to class.
In my experience teaching yoga for 16 years, I have seen thousands of people come in with average ability; a few have come in with exceptional ability and a few have come in with very little ability. None of this could predict who woud benefit most from my classes, or who would be still be doing yoga 5, 10, 15 years down the road.
I have learned that the individual's level of commitment is the single greatest predictor of whether they will stick with it and acheive greater health, happiness and longevity.
Nothing is ever as easy and smooth as we imagine at first. Whatever your goal, you should expect problems and difficulties to interfere frequently along the way. Those who are able prioritize and follow through consistently over the long term are the only ones who make most of the talent they were given. This is true for everyone in every case, no exceptions.
You can't control how much talent you have but you can always control what you make of it. Perhaps in this one way life is absolutely fair.