Weekly Reflection #8 - Mushin and Spontaneity
Each week, I share one insight. One piece of wisdom. One question to reflect on. (and a little Lagniappe)
Insight
Most things in life are out of our control. This is only exacerbated for those of us who work in complex systems. We can't predict the next outage, re-org, or technology shift. What we can control is our ability to respond to spontaneous changes. In Zen, there is a concept called "mushin", a mind free from distraction, able to respond fluidly to whatever arises. When we cultivate mushin, we can respond appropriately to whatever comes our way. When we focus on the fundamentals of our craft, we see patterns, not just the tools of the moment. When these fundamentals are solid, we respond appropriately to whatever comes. We do this not because we predicted all future states, but because we have a practiced ability to respond fluidly.
Wisdom
"You've got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail." — Charlie Parker (probably)
Reflection
What's one thing you've trained so deeply it no longer requires thought?
Lagniappe
- Thought Provoking. I'd never heard of a "Reverse Centaur" before. I appreciate reading dissenting opinions like Cory Doctorow on AI. AI companies will fail. We can salvage something from the wreckage
- I'm thinking about starting a live stream "office hours" type thing that I'm calling "debug mode". Would you be interested in joining? Let me know.
- As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Reply and let me know what resonates.