Don’t Just Do It

Tiger Woods doesn’t `do’ golf. His whole life, from the time he was a baby plonked in front of his father watching him hit golf balls, when paraded on television as a three year old, or whilst winning any one of his 14 Majors or myriad other tournaments so far, he has lived, slept and breathed golf. He talks about his best games, his best streaks of winning and his most fulfilling golf experiences, and the `zone’ that he finds himself `being’ in.

Up until his well-publicized fall from grace, he was not `doing’ golf, he wasn’t following a process or just going through the motions, he was `being’ Tiger Woods, `being’ the most successful golfer in the world. So revered was he during his golden run, that it was said the only person capable of stopping him in that mindset, that space, was himself. And so it proved.

Recently as he climbs back it could be said that he has been working hard at `doing’ golf successfully again, and to some extent there has been a feeling that he’s been trying too hard, trying to grind out success mechanically. Changing his swing, his coach, ideas, his equipment.

Once he remembers to get out of his own way, to stop `doing’ and just start `being’ Tiger Woods again, he will allow that imperious form to return. Focussing on it, wanting it , needing it, though, will just be `doing’ – and will inevitably lead to frustration.

The Nike Brand wants to associate with things like the Tiger Brand, which is understandable. Their buy line is confusing though, and I think they’ve got it wrong. The reality is that to be your best in a sport like golf, as in life, it’s not `Just Do It’, it’s `Just Be It’

Architecture is like that. When you are talking to an architect about a project, make a point of listening to what they are talking about with you. If they are talking to you about buildings, results, outcomes and objectives, then they are `in process’ as an architect. They are going through the motions – they are just `doing’ it

This might be ok if you’re looking for a `famous brand’ architect. You’ll be choosing them because you know what you’re going to get, you really only want them to `go through the motions’ for you, or their special process, and give you an <insert brand> house, just like you might buy a GJ Gardiner or Lockwood home. They’re `just doing it’.

If you are talking about how the building will `feel’ for you though, and how it will make those that experience it or use it feel, an emotional and experiential view of things, then the architect is truly `being’ with you and the architecture. They are speaking from a position of empathy – for the building, the site, the users, and you. This will indeed be a special solution that fits with your dreams and desires, a building that will `be’ with everyone that experiences it, and will evoke emotions, and create memorable experiences for people, rather than just meet functional demands.

The design team of architect, client, and builder is not `Just Doing It’ in cases like this – they’re all `Just Being It’

JOHN DURKIN