Physical and Mental Pacing

I recently just ruined my iPod by putting it through the laundry machine – it had been left in my sweatshirt after I had gone out for a run. Surprisingly, I wasn’t that upset about it since I only used it when I exercised. With the destruction of my iPod, I didn’t have much choice but to exercise without music, which seemed it could prove a bit boring. While initially it had been a bit of an inconvenience, I had learned something interesting after I began exercising without music.

While it can be fun and easy to zone out when exercising with music, it can also be distracting and cause us to become unbalanced - out of a natural rhythm. I found that I wasn’t listening to my body when my attention was elsewhere. Previously, I would hear songs that I like, and often run faster or keep pace with the rhythm. I would come across songs I’ve heard too many times, and just keep clicking through the playlist until I found something I wanted to hear. The focus on the music was causing me to keep a pace different than what my body would have settled into without the additional external stimulus.

When running faster than the pace the body naturally wants to run at, it’s easy to fatigue from over-exertion due to keeping a pace that’s faster than what our body knows is best for the amount of energy needed for the duration of the exercise. Additionally – disruption in energy, momentum, and pace can easily occur when we’re cycling through our playlist in hopes of finding a good song.

I usually run the same distance for about an hour. Today, I ran that same distance about 6-8 minutes faster because I was more in-tuned with my body and kept a proper pace. Running without music allowed me to understand how my body was feeling without altering my adrenaline or having a distraction. I was more aware of how much energy I needed to reserve for the entire duration of the run, so I didn’t have to resort to walking or taking a break at any point.

Not only have I been able to tune into myself better, I have also been able to pay more attention to nature. I’m able to be in the moment and focus on what’s around me. I’m also able to hear the sounds of nature, listen to them calmly, and find a greater peace among nature. I can either concentrate in the moment or let my mind find it’s own silence. Music while exercising may seem to make things more fun, but tuning into the body without distraction will allow for a greater likelihood of efficient results and a calmer state of mind.

The same concept can be related to creating art. If we’re drawing, writing, painting, doing something visual, or kinesthetic - then listening to music may alter what we may naturally do. While we may feel inspired by the music, perhaps we’re more influenced by the feelings we get from another artist’s music than focusing on what message we’re trying to express from within ourselves.

Genuine art is created by honesty and pure expression through the individual artist. Art is in danger of “contamination” when someone who isn’t directly collaborating with us influences our work. There’s room for debate, of course, because no single person’s ideas may be completely “original” or “independent” in a comprehensive context.

However, music may pose a danger of “inspirational dependency.” Just like exercising with inspirational songs can cause us to get caught up in the moment and later fatigue, our minds are in danger of the same concept. If we wait for inspiration or hope to find it through music, we’re not going to want to create when we don’t feel that same level of motivation. Art is about taking steps forward based on those often fleeting moments of inspiration and working with them.

Thomas Edison said, “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” We can’t allow dependency on emotions, inspiration, and feelings of motivation prevent us from producing something great. Tune into yourself and your creativity – there’s more inside than you know - especially if you haven’t been in touch with creativity for some time. There’s no such thing as “too late” and everyone has a story to tell.

For related reading, please check out: Having a Routine.