397: 13 Years Training Yoga Teachers with Lucas Rockwood

I always wanted to be a writer. Kerouac, Hemmingway, and Carver were my heros. Later it was playwrights Kushner, Ibsen, and Chekov. I’d drag home backpacks full of books from the public library, and I finagled my way into just about every theater I could find in New York City from Broadway to deep Brooklyn fringe venues. If you met me at age 20, you’d never predict I’d be teaching backbends and low glycemic diets at age 40 - but here we are. Life is full of surprises. Sometimes the rug gets pulled out from under you; and sometimes, for no obvious reason, you simply shift gears and start driving another direction. In 2002, I discovered yoga and alternative health. I was a much better writer (even back then) than I was a yoga student, but it didn’t matter. Passion is in short supply, so when you’ve got it, people want to be around you. By 2003, I was teaching and traveling; and by 2006, I founded the largest training school in South East Asia. What a change. Learning and teaching are among the most rewarding things in my life, and on this week’s podcast, I’ll share with you the “best of” list from what I’ve observed after training more than 4,000 yoga teachers in the past 13 years. Hopefully my journey has some lessons of value for you, whatever your profession.  Listen & Learn:  Why age, background, and athletic ability are NOT predictors of future teaching success How passion acts like magnet for opportunity  The importance of a life and career plan Why you social circle matters just as much as your goals   How speaking and teaching are meta skills  Links & Resources: Yoga Teachers College (my school) Yoga Business Mastery Podcast About Lucas Rockwood: Lucas Rockwood is an internationally-renowned yoga trainer, TEDx Speaker, podcaster, writer, and entrepreneur. His early yoga and meditation teachers include Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (deceased), Paul Dallaghan, Alex Medin, Gabriel Cousens MD, and SN Goenka (deceased). Lucas left the USA in 2003 when he began traveling and teaching extensively before making Barcelona, Spain, his home base. In a previous life, he worked in theater, publishing, and as a vegan chef and nutritional coach. He’s the father of three international kids and remains as passionate about yoga as when he first began practicing in 2002. Nutritional Tip of the Week: Fish Oil Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: [email protected]  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes