"First, say to yourself what you would be, and then do what you have to do."

This quote from Epictetus speaks to the need to develop practices that will enable me to embody a certain way of being.

I just returned from the School Of Embodied Leadership (SOEL) - a six day program focused on developing the capacity to truly embody leadership. The program was presented by Dr. Richard Strozzi-Heckler, founder of the Strozzi Institute and the discipline of Somatic Coaching. A major thrust of the program revolves around the development of what Strozzi-Heckler calls "practices". These are activities that support and literally enable being the kind of leader, the kind of person, that produces the results we want in life - for ourselves and others. Practices are the activities in which I regularly and mindfully engage that over time develop into unconscious habits. The significance of this is that it is my habits that form and inform my leadership "body".

The old addage "practice makes perfect" is actually a bit off base. The truth is that "practice makes habits"! With a bit of thought and a lot of discipline it is these practices - these activities that allow me to habitually keep my ideals in motion.