I was listening to a podcast interview with Benjamin Hardy and he used a word that really struck me: antifragile.
He was talking about a method of measuring progress: The GAP and the GAIN. When you’re in the GAP, you’re looking at where you are not and how far you have to go. When you’re in the GAIN, you’re measuring based on how far you’ve come which builds confidence and “you become anti-fragile.”
Gimme some of that. Down the research rabbit hole I went. And here's what I brought back:
The term antifragile was developed by Nassim Nicholas Taleb a statistician, risk analyst, and former trader to describe systems that get STRONGER under stress. He emphasizes that this is different than resilience (bouncing back). Antifragile is leaping forward.
Note that this is not an idea from personal development. It’s bigger than that. It’s been applied to financial markets, physics, molecular biology, transportation planning, engineering, aerospace and computer science.
It's also a natural law in the body. When you add (appropriate) load, you build better bone and stimulate muscle growth. When your immune system is exposed and responds, it learns and evolves.
Benjamin Hardy uses antifragile as a way of being. So how do you develop it? How do you become someone who not just bounces back but gets better from stress, challenge, even chaos? Practice & View.
For practice: anything that challenges you will do. For example, I practice yoga asana, but I also meditate, go the gym and run. More challenging than all of these is eating breakfast and posting regularly on social media. I'm also practicing antifragility in hard conversations with my spouse and step-parenting.
The more “practices” you see, the more opportunity to become antifragile - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. And most things will be working you on all four levels.
For example: We’ve been adding strength to movement practice through resistance bands, weights, sliders, etc. The props change the load and make practice more physically challenging so your bones rebuild and muscles grow.
There is also a mental challenge with new props and movements. It’s natural to think: Am I doing this right? Where do I put the band? How do I hold the weight? Your mind lays down new neuropathways.
Then there is the emotional challenge and widening your window of tolerance as you encounter areas of weakness, get frustrated at being terribly wobbly on one side, shake and quake with the addition of an innocent resistance band.
Lastly there is the spiritual component of expanding awareness and connection. Your experience of yourself gets more complete.
It’s simple and obvious when someone points it out. But it's also harder than it sounds because of your point of view. It's oh-so-easy for your mind to slide into the GAP. Where you only see where you're lacking and how far you have to go. The newness and discomfort causes you to recoil or retreat before you ever really try. This is a survival instinct that's hardwired into your nervous system. (a story for another day)
To move towards challenge and evolve instead of shy away, change your point of view. Measure backwards and get into the GAIN. Look at how far you've come, appreciate how much you’re learning, recognizing where you’re growing, so you can keep going. This is how you become antifragile.
At the weekend workshop (Introvert's Retreat) in Bend, we'll explore yoga, fascia, and strength for resilience. I wish I would have used antifragile for the title because I'll weave in these teachings.
How’s this landing? What does it bring up for you? What experiences have you had where you've not just bounced back but became better? Hit reply and send to me.
Next week, I’ll share how the following practices can be used for antifragility:
- Meditation
- Journaling & Reflection
- Willpower
May your practice be antifragile,
Alison
