The Bobby Rock Newsletter #15B (7-7-2021)- Into The Void

The Bobby Rock Newsletter #15B (7-7-2021)- Into The Void


Hey Gang -

Welcome back to our mid-week check-in. I find myself at a hotel in Streator, IL (not far from Chicago) with a day off on the Lita Ford tour. For this week’s Newsblast, I wanted to hit you guys with a few things that have been on my mind that I hope you might find useful, amusing, or maybe both!

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Jumping Into the Void

So much about the creative process, innovation, and honoring one’s unique calling is about stepping into The Void: that unique space of creative incubation where the waters are murky and the path is often unclear. Why is this so? Because our calling—and our various creations and expressions—are uniquely our own.  They are largely unprecedented because they are specific to our journey, passions, and personal life experiences. Therefore, we won’t find any paint-by-numbers instructions in The Void, and we won’t be able to gauge our progress or efficacy until we actually embrace The Void. It’s a catch-22, and it can often be complicated by the comments and criticisms of others.

Which leads us to one of my favorite contemplative quotes on the subject:

"He who jumps into the void owes no explanation to those who stand and watch.” 
Jean-Luc Godard

Embracing The Void is difficult. Criticizing someone who is attempting it is easy. Take your pick.
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Count Reps, Not Time

Been revisiting a super cool book called, The Little Book of Talent. Author Daniel Coyle has studied a number of “talent hotbeds” around the world and put together a collection of his observations in the form of these easily digestible tips. 



Many are centered around the concept of getting the most out of your practice time. Here’s one:

It’s more effective to count actual “reps” during a session, rather than the amount of time you practice. So instead of saying, “I’m going to write for an hour every morning,” you might say, “I’m going to write 500 words every morning.” Or for athletes, instead of saying "I’m going to train for two hours tomorrow afternoon,” you might say, “I’m gonna make 300 free throws,” or “hit 200 baseballs.”  For musicians, you might choose to practice a difficult passage or challenging drill x-amount of times (or repeatedly for a specific amount of time). 

This is a more specific, focused, and intentional way to practice. See if you can add more detailed numbers to whatever it is you’re looking to get better at.

Speaking of which...
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A Year of Daily Meditation (on the horizon)

I am less than a week away from my goal of meditating every single day for a year. I’ve had a practice for quite a few years, but I would always miss days here and there. However, once I started using an app (Calm) to structure and track my practice, a year straight seemed like a reasonable goal to aspire to. It’s taken me a few tries, but now it looks like I will make it all the way this time.



Has it made a difference? Yes. I will drill down on a few details as to why, shortly. But let me just say it’s all about the reps… the consistency of showing up and going through the motions, even when you’re not in the “headspace.” Kind of like a lot of other things in life that we want to improve on...

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Thanks much! Catch you guys next week...

Until then,
BR


PS. Today would've been the 86th birthday of one of my most influential mentors, Ms. Mary Thompson. We lost her nearly two years ago. In case you haven't seen it, here's a memoir I wrote about her:


RIP Ms. Thompson...
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