That Think you Do

[Jaybird180]

Some people just have that knack. That way of explaining something that make is so simple that "even a bonehead could understand".

I recall a few years ago, where in a Private Message (and I hope it's okay to disclose this), I congratulated @Keith Code on cracking the code (no pun intended) on explaining what we're doing on motorcycles and creating a vocabulary to enable communication, learning and growing. Keith found his knack. Very few people ever do in this life, and that's unfortunate.

Talking with another rider, we were discussing how sometimes we feel that being able to articulate what's happening has a barrier associated with it that makes getting the help we're looking for just one more step removed. And we're both CSS students, so we have a foundation in vocabulary by using Keith Code's technology of riding. That's one barrier down.

Yet there still exists that other, somewhat unknown element where there exists a gap between self-observation, deluded reality and then real reality versus our desired reality in our riding. And it is somewhere in there where the message gets obscured.

Personally, I'm working on a program of self-improvement, and honestly I use my riding as one of the yardsticks of it's effectiveness (everything boils down to motorcycles, right? - LOL). What are some other things that we as riders can use to improve the OODA-Loop in our riding?

(edit)Oh, BTW- the title of this post was originally supposed to be, "That THING you do" but a fat finger changed it...and I decided I like THINK better.

[Cobie Fair]

Being honest with oneself, a bit of a skill.  Honest, yet not beat up on oneself, also a skill.  Big part is just being able to observe.  Keith is frickin' amazing at being able to observe.

[53Driver]

JayBird - Looking at your interests - motorcycling, aviation, Taekwondo - I would venture to say your path to self-improvement did not start 'yesterday.'  All those activities are about continuous improvement.  And at least 2 out of 3 will get you killed if you think you know it all.  

The OODA loop - Observe, Orient, Decide, Act.  This milspec strategy for operational units during military campaigns I don't think translates well into what you have described above as you and the other rider doing a thorough debrief, a la aviation flight.  A no holds barred, honest, but not damning (aye Cobie!) debrief is the first step to a reality. 

And? It's the first step to the MSF coaching mantra I'd like you to think about instead of OODA.  Please think OACR - Observe, Analyze, Coach, Reinforce.

In your debrief with your fellow rider, your honest Observations and Analyzations were most probably there and then hopefully you got into some self-Coaching (pick ONE thing to try differently next time) and then hopefully after the next run, some Reinforcement of new behaviors.  However, as Cobie rightly alludes to, what often happens with riders, especially when with other riders, is we go from Observe & Analyze to emote about what happened and beat ourselves to a pulp - and that's the end of it until some whiskey induced reflections might lead to a self-coaching moment hours or days later.  

As experienced riders, we KNOW when we done messed something up.  And we can probably analyze it to a pretty good degree of accuracy.  But getting good coaching and then reinforcement (yay or nay) with follow-on coaching is why we pay Cobie et al the big bucks.  

Cheers!

[Jaybird180]

Thanks 53. I've also come to the conclusion that competent coaching can make or break any talent.

Semper Fi Brother

[53Driver]

Semper Fi!

Concur on the coaching conclusion.

Cheers!