Consistency v. Complacency – Introspection is Key

BY SHANA STEIN FAULHABER

To be consistent means to do or act in the same manner or fashion regularly or repeatedly over time. Maybe you have heard the expression…Jack of all trades, master of none. Conventional wisdom would have us believe that to get really good at something, we need to cultivate laser focus and devote ourselves wholly to the task. Certainly, there is some merit to that. But like bass prodigy Victor Wooten said, we only master technique to gain the ability to throw it away, so we then become free to jam.

Many experts there have said that to truly master a skill, we need to devote 10 years or 10,000 hours of practice to development of that skill.

Yes. It is no doubt important that whatever we are doing, we put the work in. But to what end? Eventually, even when we really love what we are doing, we will reach a point of diminishing returns, in my experience. Take, for example, my yoga practice. I started practicing yoga during my first year of law school. It was kind of casual for the first several years. But then I started my criminal defense solo law practice in 2008. Simultaneously, my yoga practice skyrocketed to the point that I was on my mat every single day, and by 2009, I had enrolled in a yoga teacher training program to “deepen my practice.”

My inspiration was on fire and I was putting in all the hours. And I got pretty darn good at a lot of different things. I could bust out complex arm balances and inversions, put myself into intricate pretzel like shapes, and wax spiritual philosophy with the other talking yoga heads. It was exciting and fresh and interesting…until it wasn’t.

By 2018, I had taught thousands of classes, sometimes upwards of 15-20 times a week. Little by little, unwittingly, complacency had crept in, and my teaching began suffering. Inspiration became replaced with canned grins and expressions. Groovy, well-thought-out playlists became replaced by whatever pre-made playlist happened to cross my path. And even my personal practice began to take a dive. What’s more? All the stretching that had once helped me grow had now left me feeling destabilized and painful in my joints.

So, I backed off. I went off and explored fresher seas. Including Pilates. And all sorts of other things. After a decade of teaching yoga all over Dallas, I gave it up completely. I do not think I fully appreciated until very recently what had been taking place all those years ago. Consistency had turned into complacency. To be a master, it is not enough to simply do the same thing over and over. Without our constant intent, introspection, and continual commitment to learning, the practices that were yesterday’s best friend can become today’s worst enemy.

During the pandemic, I decided to start a closed Facebook community for licensed Texas attorneys called “Texas Lawyers Wellness.” It felt like a way that I could be of service to our community at large and I just decided to go for it. I had no idea at the time that this would serve as the impetus that would lead me back to my yoga mat as a teacher. But ultimately that is exactly what happened.

This past Fall I organized a Wellness Retreat for our group and led meditation. It felt so good to be back in that place and now several months later, I am once again teaching yoga weekly at a new studio off Oak Lawn and have organized our lawyer’s wellness retreat again for this Fall. As I move back into this role, I have set a strong resolve not to again let complacency take hold.

Of the upmost importance is that we stay in gratitude. Once gratitude fades it is easy to start taking our blessings for granted and subsequently failing to give our best. Also, rest is just as important as doing our tasks. We must take breaks! Finally, it is equally important to maintain what in yoga we refer to as a “beginner’s mind.” When we think we know it all, we are toast. I will never forget the parting words on the last day of class from my professional responsibility teacher in law school.

He said: It is my sincere desire that you will forever remain a student of the law. And that is my hope for y’all as well. HN Shana Stein Faulhaber is a criminal defense attorney, certified mediator, and registered yoga teacher. She can be reached at shana@faulhaberfirm.com.