Spannungsbogen

Spannungsbogen is a German word that Frank Herbert defines as the self-imposed delay

between desire for a thing and reaching out to grasp that thing. You could think of it as an archer who upon seeing his prey draws his bow to full tension and then waits patiently for the correct time to loose the arrow.  He knows that now is not yet the proper time, and discipline born of practice and experience allows him the self-control necessary for the right shot.  That waiting under tension is spannungsbogen.

I think this self-mastery is an admirable but quickly diminishing trait in our modern society.  As the pace of society sped up, the 1930s brought us the first drive-through windows in restaurants.  Then came microwave dinners, toaster pastries, and sugary breakfast cereal.  The speed at which our desires can be satisfied has become the new gauge for the worth of a product or service.  Convenience has become god in a world where a web page that takes 5 seconds to load is a waste of time.

How does this translate into everyday life?  Recently I wrote that you look like your decisions and offered some ways to make better decisions about how you eat and take care of your body.  The most important aspect of changing your life for the better is the discipline of self-denial which at its heart is spannungsbogen.

Can you be in the same room as ice cream and not eat it?  Sitting at a dinner party as dessert is passed out and you pass?  Do you set your alarm at 5am to get up and train but find the desire for sleep overwhelming you?  Most people would probably say yes.  They have a desire for a thing, desert or laziness, and immediately act to satisfy themselves.  The sum of these decisions results in the disease of affluence.  

Americans are overweight, overstressed, and under-disciplined.  The symptoms are plain to see.  Drooping dark circled eyes, straining belts, and gridlocked traffic ten minutes after the workday was supposed to begin.  Ice cream shops and fast food restaurants are full while gyms and parks are empty.  Even our children have fallen prey as they sip sodas and spend hours in front of a screen instead of engaging in physical play with parents, siblings, and friends.

No one thinks this is a desirable situation.  Childhood obesity is a buzzword in modern society.  Heart disease and type 2 diabetes are on everyone’s radar.  So how do we stem the tide of an epidemic of laziness in indiscipline?  Simple, we begin to cultivate spannungsbogen.

So how do I become develop spannungsbogen?  

The first step is to set realistic goals.  If you are not driving towards a purpose that you know, it is very difficult to be disciplined.  Along with coaching legend Dan John, II would encourage you to set goals in four basic areas of life: work, family, play, and spirit.  Check out his article here for some wonderful insight into goals and life.

The second step is to immediately begin to follow through with your goals.  If one of your goals is fat loss and increased health, throw out all of the processed refined foods in your house.  The monetary cost of the junk food is far less than the future treatment for type 2 diabetes.  Consider it an investment in yourself.  By starting immediately, you begin to exercise the muscles of self-control that will be necessary for reaching long term goals.

The third step is to regularly evaluate your progress towards goals and reorient yourself to continue making progress.  Staying with the goal of fat loss, if you find that your progress has stalled you have to evaluate what you are eating and doing to see why.  Was there a 2 week stretch of office parties and dinners out with friends where you were undisciplined?  Has work been so busy that you couldn’t make it to the gym?  Once you evaluate your progress, then you can reorient yourself to keep making progress.  The unexamined life will never get you where you want to go, no matter if your goal is fat loss or job success or to spend more time with your kids.

What do you want to change about yourself?  What do you want to accomplish?  Develop spannungsbogen, the self-imposed delay between a desire for a thing and reaching out to grasp that thing, and you will be well on your way.  The next time you see a doughnut in the breakroom or the fast food chain on the highway hold back from the immediate gratification.  Many times the desire will pass, if you give it a chance, and you will find yourself on the way to a healthier, fuller life.