The Spaces Between Rewards

"What do you like doing best in the world, Pooh?"

 "Well," said Pooh, "what I like best---" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you begin to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.

 

The honey doesn't taste so good once it is being eaten; the goal doesn't mean so much once it has been reached; the reward is not so rewarding once it has been given. If we add up all the rewards in our lives, we won't have very much. But if we add up the spaces between the rewards, we'll come up with quite a bit. And if we add up the rewards and the spaces, then we'll have everything- every minute of time that we spent.                             What if we could enjoy it?

...That doesn't mean the goals we have don't count. They do, mostly because they cause us to go through the process, and it's the process that makes us wise, happy, or whatever...Enjoyment of the process is the secret that erases the myths of the Great Reward and Saving Time.

 - from The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff

 

 

There has been so much time that I've spent avoiding the process or even hating the process. The process of getting good at something. I've always needed the Great Reward to keep me going. That's probably the main reason I've been at it this long. Always something new to strive for, looking to the future, looking at those that had that thing I wanted. Wondering how to get there quickly, what can I do to be better at Saving Time. Just sticking it out this long by default I got good enough. Good enough to teach, good enough to do my own thing, good enough that I make a living off of it.

 

Pooh has me wondering though. Silly old bear. What would it take for me to be more than good enough? Not a little bit good. I mean really, really, really good. I have to start looking at the process. When I'm practicing quit looking at it as a way to get where I need to go and simply putting in the work. I tend to tune that stuff out. It's what I have to do because I know I need to. What if instead of just cranking out reps--What if I was fully engaged in the process? I've always liked martial arts enough that the love balanced out the hate, and the pain wasn't enough to get in the way of the gain. What if I let go of the hate, accept the pain and just experience exactly where I am with all this? What will I learn from that? Here's what I think could happen- according to Pooh's Way:

 

"What could we call that moment before we begin to eat the honey? Some would call it anticipation, but we think it's more than that. We would cal it awareness. It's when we become happy and realize it, if only for an instant. By Enjoying the Process, we can stretch the awareness out so it's no longer only a moment, but covers the whole thing."

 

 

I think I will not only be really, really, really good- I will be grateful for the process. I will have the momentary joy of not only the reward but ALSO the joy of every moment in between.