My Three-Part, Modular System For Self-Mastery - Teaching Titans Ep. #7 | Matthew Boyle
Today, I introduce a self-mastery or self-development system that I created about two years ago and continue to optimize for myself today. Here is a description of each of the three parts, which you can shift seamlessly between depending on the circumstances. It may take a little practice and some getting used to, but once you're familiar with it, it can help you make progress every day no matter what!
Part 1:
The first part of this system we can shift into when we are having our "normal" busy days, days when we are balancing work, family, business, and more. During days like these, I believe it is still important to reserve some time to work on ourselves and NOT totally sideline our personal goals. So set 3-5 tiny habits (each lasting about 15-20 minutes to start), and plug them into the most convenient parts of your day. Track them using a habit tracker on paper or in an app. Your tiny habits might be: exercise, reading, writing, meditation, etc. It works best if your tiny habits in Part 1 can contribute to your masterpieces in Part 2.
Part 2:
The second part of this system we can shift into when our schedules open up and for whatever reason we have much more free time. During this type of season, it is important to take advantage of the increased free time to grow our capacity for deep work, focused work, and creative work. The type of work that demands several hours (maybe 4-5 per day at least) of undivided attention. You can record what you worked on and for how many hours using the same habit tracker for Part 1. Your deep work might be: writing a novel, composing a song, creating a work of art, cooking a special new dish, honing your woodworking or sculpting skills, etc. As you can see, the type of work in Part 2 of the system is hard to get into during our typical day-to-day lives when we are busy being busy as opposed to being truly productive.
Part 3:
The third part of this system is designed to handle serious interruptions (whether positive, neutral, or negative) which come to us when we are in our Part 1 or Part 2 state. In fact, as I shall explain presently, we should no longer regard any interruptions as negative. They are all positive and useful to us now, because in this system, Part 3 is called "opportunizing." That refers to the fact that we will see any interruptions or unexpected happenings as opportunities, and meet their demands with grace and skillfulness. We realize that any serious interruption can be a used as an opportunity to prove the skills we have developed and as a stepping stone to further mastery. You can record what issue you had to handle on the same habit tracker that you use for Part 1 and Part 2, how you handled it, and what you learned from the experience. An example of Part 3 issues might be: a family member has been hospitalized, a friend is moving homes and they need your help, a surprise meeting has been called at the office and takes all morning, etc. Obviously, serious, lengthy interruptions we hope to minimize, we don't exactly seek them out or encourage them, but we don't shy away from them or get frustrated by them either. In this system, we use them as yet another source of fuel for our progress.
These three parts, when implemented together as a system, can cover just about anything that life can throw at you. Sometimes I refer to the system as my Habit Positioning System (HPS) because it helps me to navigate through the craziness of life and still come out on top, just like a GPS helps you to get to your destination.
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Matthew Boyle graduated with a Master's degree in Education from George Mason University in the United States in 2011. Since then, he has never stopped teaching. And since 2018, he has served as an academic director. If you would like to receive coaching on how to become a more effective and happy teacher or administrator, or specifically what it takes to survive and thrive as a teacher in China, feel free to contact Matthew at [email protected].
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