Integration Over “Moving On”

Despite what it can feel like, we don’t drop old ideas, older versions of ourselves, and past experiences and simply “move on”. We integrate those past iterations and when we evolve past them, we don’t simply transcend them. All the while, though, we include our past in the process.

As silly as it sounds, I’m writing this as I listen to music played from a record player. We don’t need to get into the details of the hipster movement to prop up dead music technology to understand the point here. We’re talking about development of any kind. The example, in this case, is music technology.

There was a time, of course, when the technology I’m experiencing on this record player marked the limiting edge of technological development in music listening. There was nothing better. Soon, though, the boundaries of the technology expanded. This later included the 8-track, the cassette tape, CD, and even digital music.

You might say to yourself, “Well, Logan, you’re a hipster. So, you have included the record player, but we all have just flat out transcended it!” Well, folks, we don’t need to engage in older ideas, older versions of ourselves, and past experiences to integrate them. Whether you listen to records or cassette or CDs doesn’t change that the technology you enjoy music with today is built on those past iterations.

Of course, this conversation isn’t a musical one. As much as you’ve “moved on”, your past (including the icky parts) are with you today. Your worst ideas and biggest mistakes are the included in the architecture of who you are today. It’s quite beautiful when you think about it. In training, the methods, reps, and sets you did in a past life also help color the newer, fitter, more enlightened athlete that you are today.

Remember the goal isn’t about moving on. It’s about integration.

 

Logan Gelbrich

@functionalcoach