I have written a few times about what I am learning from an accident my son experienced and this week I learned something new from the physical therapist.
My son’s toe requires stretching to have it lay flat like the rest of the toes. The physical therapist showed us the few stretches we need to be doing and then said:
It is not about the tension of the stretch but the duration.
Stretching the muscle to where you can feel the stretch and it is almost painful is not as helpful as holding the stretch with less tension but for a longer period. It gives the skin and muscles time to stretch and stay rather than recoil back to their original position.
This made me think of developing as a leader. Every behavior change I want to make is like an experimental stretch. So often I try to stretch myself with something big and hard and it does not have the intended result. What is better is to do small things that I can sustain for longer periods of time. My growth will improve, my brain (with its neuroplasticity) will change so I can have new leadership behaviors that help me lead and have an impact on those around me.
What are you trying to get better at right now? Rather than stretching with lots of tension, what can you do that is small for a greater period of time?
My “experimental stretch” is to write once a week. It has enabled me to see things I previously was not seeing and helps me to learn from what I have been experiencing.
