Day 21 – WorkStep Ten – How Are You Going To Become An Authority?


Yesterday in Fiji we went parasailing – you sit in a harness as a speed boat pulls you along while a parachute is lifting you up. As we launched off the boat into the sky, I felt serene and joyful, ready to enjoy this majestic experience…

I heard a noise, turned to my left and witnessed my 10 year old daughter’s face full of terror, screaming to let her go. It was too late for that. The boatmen could not hear, and we were already soaring into the sky, our feet freely dangling 100 feet above the sea…

What do I do?

She’s a smart girl Grace, and she could still listen, so I had to assist her to believe differently. It was her belief that gave her the terror: “something will go wrong.” Her fear was so infectious, I found myself starting to believe these thoughts too: “the harness will snap off, we will fall down.” Then I remembered my past: I was scared of heights. Hell! What was I doing here!?

So now two of us were frightened.

Then I remembered an Alexander principle – the only way I can help Grace is to help my Self. So I questioned my thoughts, looked at the beauty that surrounded me, looked at Grace and let out a “Wow! Isn’t this just amazing?!” Grace looked at me, her face getting calmer, and said “I can’t wait to tell my friends what I did today.” The little girl was getting better – by the end, she didn’t want it to end. Don’t you love the flexibility of young minds?

Why tell you this story?

Because today’s step is all about “Authority” – how do you create authority in the minds of others? What I learnt yesterday is that Authority comes from me, no-where else. If I believe I am an Authority, you will start to believe it too. When I believed I am safe, Grace was free to start believing that too.

As a person of authenticity and integrity you can not make this up. However, you can be a legitimate authority, and be believing something else about your Self. It is not who you are that matters – that part is already done – it is what you are believing about who you are. That is where the work is.

Ask your Self: where am I an authority? If you answer no-where, well sorry. Even if you don’t, I know you are an authority. Any person who has devoted the resources and time necessary to become a teacher of Alexander Technique is an authority, and there is nothing you can say that will convince me otherwise.

The source of your Authority is the what you are believing about you. As I found with Grace, when I believe I am OK, others can start believing that about me too. We all know this from teaching – our hands can only communicate what we already know. It’s not possible for anything else to happen. Authority is the same – it flows from you to others. So in making your 12 Point Plan – ask that question:

What are you an authority about?

TOMORROW: WorkStep Ten – What Are You Going To Do To Make You Famous?

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