I have recently started going to climbing lessons. And, if anything they have solidified my knowing that every skill I have learned and everything I do, to use an Italian expression, are thing I have “Imparato sulla mia pelle”*.  
 
In the past few months I have shared various stories from my time pack-backing around the world that are examples of what “Imparato sulla mia pelle” means.
 
*For those English speakers amongst you who have no idea, stay off the key-board, don’t immediately go google it, just read on. I hope to help you understand what it means through this latest story. AND, if you, like me, NEED to know what the actual translation is, I got you, I do spell it out towards the bottom of this story.
 
I was brought to the idea of climbing through a coaching session I received in the context of becoming a coach**. I chose it as a way to look fear in the eyes and learn that I could do things that scared me. The amazing thing is that climbing is teaching me so much more. In conversations with the teacher his ‘analysis’ of how I climb: of rushing, of yanking myself up to the latest thing I have a hold on, of taking large steps, is a metaphor for so many tendencies I have in my life. Needless to say, even on the wall, this ‘style’ of climbing means I get tired fast, and on a tough climb that translates to me not making it to the top.
 
As I continue to climb my awareness of these tendencies gives me the opportunity to learn new skills: I am learning to just hold myself (vs yank myself up), I am learning to slow down, to see what options are available to me and therefore both keep my options open, and take many smaller, transitional steps.

The results are amazing, the climb is easier, reaching the next hand hold is easier, the motions are more fluid, there is less struggle, fewer frustrations, and, by conserving energy, I reach the top.
 
This is translating to how I do things in my life and work. Instead of trying to accomplish everything in one fell swoop and failing, I am taking things slow, embracing the wait, delaying gratification. Taking small transitional steps is translating to me being more consistent, adopting a drip, drip, drip approach, is getting me where I want to go. These are the life lessons that I “imparato sulla mia pelle”.
 
Anything we live through, and do with our body, especially if we do them intentionally is where the actual learning takes place. And extend way beyond the environment the skill was learned it, exactly like my climbing lessons came off the wall and into my life.  This is the power of intentionally harnessing the body to build life skills.
 
A literal translation of “Imparato sulla mia pelle” would be “I learned it on my own skin”. It is often translated as “learned the hard way”, or “learned first-hand” but what I love about the Italian expression is that it is explicit about the learning being through the skin/body.  

What do you think? No, wait, I take that back.
Don’t think! The “proof will be in the pudding”. See the practice below….