36 - Self-Development and Swimming

Working on yourself is a part of life, and it is important that you keep building yourself up. Every decade, every year, and all the way down to every second. We should be thinking about who we can become.

Finding out new ways to push ourselves to become better. Swimming in the pool is no different.

Why + Philosophy:

This ideology spawns from what I came up with as a modern equivalent for our growth. The Four Pillars philosophy talks about the main four areas of life: Body, Spirit, Mind, and Emotions. Not in a particular order, but one thing to keep in mind. Is that I've found most people have an "anchor" Pillar, that acts as their translation towards pushing themselves.

For me I started working at a gym at a young age, and so I view the lens of self-dev through the Body Pillar. I met someone who was a complete opposite, as he wasn't able to work on the body, so instead he spent a large amount of time on the Mind Pillar.

Some people need more of a philosophical aspect or viewpoint, something alone the lines of the Spirit Pillar connection. In order to understand swimming, then you have to understand yourself.

Find out what your anchor Pillar is.

How + Physics:

This mode of operation being based on Philosophy over anything might seem a little out there, especially when you might desire the hard facts or physics of movement.

However if you do not understand why you need to move in a certain way over another. Additionally, if you do not keep tabs on your emotional state while underwater. Those two parts of swimming will take over your mind and body.

Keeping a balance between the Four Pillars is key to swimming the best you possibly can.

What + Psychology:

In most of these posts I try to add something to get you to think differently. Regardless if you're a kid (perhaps that I taught even), or an adult who is simply trying to learn a life skill.

That is a wide base of people to "target for a newsletter", but I think these lessons apply to you all. We may be viewing the Four Pillars Philosophy for Self-Development VIA SWIMMING. However it can be applied to any sort of endeavor.

How you think about yourself, the pool, your life, and how you swim will all come to play.

Master Your Mind

While I don't normally dictate what people should focus on first, as that is generally a person by person basis. Different for everyone. The most often neglected in the realm of the pool is the mind.

People get that the act of swimming is hard on the body, and they come prepared for it. At least as best as they can be.

However your Mind will be the basis for your Emotional and Spiritual Pillar development through Swimming. Finding that zen will be key.

Disclaimer:

This is advice for people to level up their swimming, or perhaps get started in the first place. While you swim you should make sure you are doing so in a public facility with a lifeguard on duty for safety.