Collaborating with experts allows for fruitful partnerships by giving space for each person to excel in their field and contribute their expertise.
Recognizing and trusting someone's superior skills in a specific area, like writing, can lead to significant improvements in collaborative projects.
Observing the instinctive decision-making and problem-solving processes of experts can provide valuable insights that explicit knowledge cannot offer.
Embracing and learning from the intuition and instincts of experts can lead to successful collaborations and deep insights that explicit explanation may not provide.
Deep dives
The value of working with experts
One of the most important lessons I've learned from collaborations, including with Michael, is to make space for what the collaborator is amazing at and then make even more space. When you work with people who excel in their field and let them do what they do best, they can astonish you with their expertise. It can be challenging to let go of control and contribute only to areas where you excel, but it allows for a more fruitful collaboration.
Abdicating control and embracing expertise
In my collaborations, such as with Michael, I have realized the value of stepping back and letting the expert take the lead. For example, in writing projects, recognizing someone's superior writing skills and trusting their instincts can result in significant improvements. Tapping into their tacit knowledge and intuition can offer insights that explicit knowledge cannot provide.
Learning from collaborative expertise
Collaborating with experts often goes beyond explicit knowledge sharing. Observing their instinctive decision-making, problem-solving, and creative processes can be immensely valuable. While experts may struggle to articulate their actions, learning from their expertise through observation and occasional questioning can enhance one's own knowledge and skills.
Embracing intuition and learning from observation
Collaborating with experts presents an opportunity to embrace and learn from their intuition and instincts. While experts may not be able to explicitly explain their decision-making processes, observing their actions and asking about their motivations can offer deep insights. Acknowledging and valuing their expertise can lead to more successful and fruitful collaborations.
The Benefits of Extended Retreats and the Value of Deepening Practice
Extended retreats provide an opportunity to deepen one's practice and explore new techniques. It allows for a concentrated period of focused attention and can lead to transformative experiences. The marginal value of extended retreats depends on the individual's goals and needs. Some may find that additional retreat time helps them go deeper into their practice and generate more energy, while for others, maintaining a consistent daily practice may be more beneficial. The decision to go on a retreat should consider ethical considerations, personal growth, and the desire to learn and try new things.
The Compassionate Approach to Marketing
Marketing, when approached ethically, can be seen as a compassionate practice. It involves using tools to spread awareness about projects, ideas, and initiatives that have the potential to benefit others. The focus is on reaching the right audience and informing them about something that could be relevant and meaningful to their lives. By using marketing effectively, individuals and organizations can generate interest and support for their work, fostering a connection with people who can genuinely benefit from it.
Leaving the Monastery: Embracing New Opportunities
The decision to leave a monastery after a training period often comes when one feels a call to explore the world and learn new things. Monastic training provides an extended retreat-like experience, allowing for deep contemplative practice. However, there comes a time when individuals may feel the need to use their skills and training in different ways, to have a broader impact beyond the monastic environment. This decision is guided by a desire to expand one's horizons, make new discoveries, and contribute to the world in new and unique ways.
Tasshin talks with Andy Matuschak (@andy_matuschak) about memory, spaced repetition software, working for Apple and Khan Academy, independent research, meditation, and more.
