Arrows and targets are common metaphors from leaders in business. As someone who’s practiced the art of traditional archery for decades, most of their metaphors are on target. Archery is a dynamic synergy between doing and letting go. What I hear a lot about is the doing part but very little about the letting go part.
Top archers have always known that it’s impossible to achieve great, consistent shooting only by trying harder and getting better equipment. They know that the stuff they’re working with in their hands is really only as useful as what’s going on between their ears.
So, while it’s important to work towards impeccable technique; physical alignment in stance, holding the bow, drawing, anchoring and letting go of the string. Invaluable to have well tuned equipment where bow, arrow, fletching, string, nock point and rest all work in harmony with the archer’s paradox. The real magic happens inside, with a practiced and developed trust in letting go of the arrow. Allowing the shot to happen, rather than making it happen. Not doing.
In controlled situations, you can get acceptable results by actively aiming and releasing. But add in some pressure like at a friendly target shoot, or with a bet from a shooting partner, possibly drawing back on an animal while hunting or just having me stand close by just watching—mechanics and accuracy often falls to pieces. Actively trying to control more during stressful situations just doesn’t help with consistent accuracy.
The synergy of doing and letting go happens in an archer’s release. The release is the moment of greatest physical, mental, emotional—and probably spiritual—tension. With muscles and string drawn and taught, letting go unleashes all potential into the kinetic trajectory of the arrow. With a release there are only two possibilities; do something…anything, which messes up the shot. Or do nothing, and the shot will go off on it’s own and hit the mark—every single time.
As archers, each time we draw an arrow back we explore our relationship between our goal oriented nature and our allowing nature in the face of desiring a certain outcome. When we find harmony with both of those parts in that moment of the release some unexplainable force works through us, for our benefit, and with tremendous consistency and accuracy.
What amazes me is not only how well honing the relationship of doing and letting go works in archery but across all areas of business and life.
When I hear about what made the difference for my clients, it’s rare that the story is about doing more. Often it’s a story about recognizing something, their decision to let go, and allowing outcomes to be guided by something bigger than themselves.
Mystical…yes.
Spiritual…definitely.
Practical…absolutely.
I’d love to get a bow in your hands.
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