Moving with panache

I moved into my new place in Columbia Heights and it has been working out very well. I've managed to go to bboy practice twice in the past week just by walking out the door and one block to my practice spot.  Been getting back into the swing of things, my flexibility and strength have been coming back albeit slowly.

With the practices come the cyphers.  Toyz has been hosting bigger ones for a few months and I finally made it to one.  It was awesome - they had a DJ, a TON of people came out but it could have been more fun if I actually went into it more than just the one time I did.  I was kind of disappointed with myself because my moves were so sloppy it looked like I was a fish out of water ... literally, with my arms and legs flopping all around.  I watch some of the other bboys and everyone's moves were so crisp.

The more I think about it, it comes down to confidence.  I think of lack of confidence as pimples.  My sister always said that pimples are such a shame because it completely distorts the way a person looks to the point that good looking people are unattractive; similarly, lacking confidence completely distorts the skills that a person has.  The skill might be in there but it doesn't look right.  Confidence allows bboys to make even simple moves look amazing!  

The best example of building confidence and it manifesting in my own life is learning to swim last year.  Confidence played such a big role in me learning to swim that I tell people that when I went to swim lessons, it wasn't about learning the technique so much as building confidence.  I got into the water every week for my lesson, I made my repetitions, I was open to criticism to find out what I was doing wrong.  Fast forward a year, and look at me now, I can swim in the ocean!  Now I can't do anything super fancy and my form isn't great, but now I can comfortably get out away from the shore just knowing I'm capable and I won't drown.

It wasn't easy.  I thought it was going to take an act of God to get me to swim (which might have been the case).  It required time but not a lot - it took about six lessons before I had my "oh my goodness, I'm swimming" moment.  Anyway, my point is, in addition to talent, practice, focus, you need confidence to really make what you do, shine.

Now, how do you build confidence?  I recently read an article in Harvard Business Review about confidence and she had a lot of good points.  Practice!  Be humble so you're not resistant to criticism.  Know what you have to offer and that things will come through.  Actively pursue feedback.  And be willing to take a risk try things that you're not good at.  It's scary at first because you might not get it first but it's rewarding when everything finally clicks. 

Finally, at the end of the day, confidence requires just diving in ...

(Interview of Ron Artest, professional basketball player, about his foray into stand up comedy)

SI.com: So that first phone call you got about standing up on stage and being a comedian -- what was going through your head?
Artest: I was super nervous. I knew I would do it -- I'll do anything. I'm not afraid of nothing. I was more nervous about [coming] to grips with [the fact that] I'm going to suck, you know? I'm like, "You're going to be horrible." And once I knew I was going to be horrible, I was like, "[Expletive] it. Let's do it." I was expecting boos.

Go forth, be confident, and try new things.