Yoga Intensive Part 2: The Best in the World

The second part of this intensive dealt with personal development and reaching your goals. We had several discussions throughout the week, both in small groups and as an entire 40-person class. If I had to choose one message to pass on from all that we talked about, it would be the one that Darren shared with us at the end. He quoted author Jim Collins, who said that in order to go from good to great, you should reflect on these three questions:

1) What are you passionate about?
2) At what can you be the best in the world?
3) What drives your economic engine?

Darren is the owner of Yoga Oasis and the "poster boy" of the yoga world, a phrase that magazines and newspapers love to use. He co-created a poster that features him doing every pose in the Anusara syllabus. He's also put out a book of yoga poses and he's co-developed a way to practice yoga efficiently in one hour: "YogaHour." He's an internationally recognized teacher who is known for his innovation to the practice. At the end of the intensive, this man gave his thoughts on what it meant to be "the best in the world."

"Honestly, you probably cannot be the best in the world at something. There's always going to be someone better than you. But to be the best in the world doesn't mean you have to be the best - it might mean you have the right strategy. I don't feel like I'm the guy who is best fit for the projects I'm inspired to do. The best person, though, may not have the resources or the desire to do these projects. So if he doesn't do them, who will? It's either 'the best'... or no one. And that's tough competition. It's hard to step into that position. But that may be the seed you need to do what you want to do."

I was surprised to hear him admit his feelings about his abilities. This superstar yoga teacher doesn't think he's the best person to be doing what he's doing. But he's doing it anyway. This is something I think about often, especially as a dancer and aspiring dance coach. I'm 24 and I'm decades behind in experience that many of the national and world-class dancers and coaches have. How could I possibly stand out amongst them? I don't have the resources they had when they began (time, money, connections)...

It doesn't really matter, though. It's something I want to do and I intend to do it...even if I'm not I'm the best or most knowledgeable or most skilled person for the job. By doing it in the first place my way, though, maybe I will be.