Feature - Benefit

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I work in marketing. One of the maxims of marketing is that advertising the benefits of a product is more effective than promoting features. In other words, don't just say how many dB of noise reduction your headphones provide. Let me know I won't have to listen to the babies crying on my flight to Florida.

Yoga and aikido teachers can help our students by teaching in this way. We could think of what we are doing as promoting a "product," and that we want our customers to get the most benefit. In some ways it's more challenging for us than for someone selling a smartphone, because simply "making the purchase," or showing up for class isn't enough for our "customers" to get optimum benefit. They have to do the practice in a way that engages the mind and body together.

We can help our students by giving them a reason to practice correctly.  Make a habit of giving the benefit of doing whatever you're asking them to do. There are many ways to talk about a "benefit." Each may reach different students, depending on their goals. For example:

In yoga
"...in order to strengthen the inner thighs"
"...this will help you in strength poses, like ... (or opening poses, like ...)"
"...to help you become calmer in your daily life
"...so your posture will be as good at age 80 as it is today"
"...to help with back pain"

In aikido
"...so your attacker doesn't have an opening for a counterattack"
"...because it gives you better ability to see what's around you"
"...because it you'll have better posture at all times"
"...to help you become calmer and more effective in daily life"

Your students have habits that are not helpful to their practice, and they're hard to break. If you want to help them develop new and better habits, give them a reason to follow your instruction. You'll find they'll be much more willing to try.

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