| Success at home, work or on the mat is what | | | | something else and you will spend the rest of |
| drives all of us. Sooner or later, you're going to | | | | your life wondering "why they get all the brakes" |
| want something more. It's in our very nature to | | | | or "why are they so lucky". Remember, "Those |
| succeed. It is a primary survival instinct. The | | | | who don't learn from history are doomed to |
| benefits of success are obvious. Sense of | | | | repeat it". This habit of quitting when things get |
| accomplishment, self worth and self-actualization | | | | difficult is one you don't want to develop. |
| are a few. Other, less obvious by-products are | | | | Every career, every life, is replete with failure and |
| confidence and attitude. | | | | setbacks. It's up to you to work through them |
| While these feelings help to drive us and are our | | | | and force yourself to develop the habit of getting |
| eventual goals and reasons to be successful, they | | | | up again and again and again. |
| do little in helping us become successful. They are | | | | Everything that happens in the Dojo is symbolic |
| psychological effects of accomplishment. The real | | | | of life. That's way Dojo literally means "WAY |
| technical growth, the real "nuts and bolts" lay in | | | | PLACE". It's the place to study THE WAY. Simply |
| every setback and every failure. | | | | put, the way of everything, the way of life. When |
| Vince Lombardi said, "Show me a good loser and | | | | you miss a technique or have difficulty learning a |
| I'll show you a loser" why correct in it's spirit. | | | | skill, you train to improve and become competent |
| There is far more to be gained from our losses | | | | at that skill. When you are injured you train |
| than our triumphs. Every loss is a tool for | | | | yourself to work with your injury. |
| improvement. Because it's only when you fail, that | | | | What's the difference between an injured |
| you look inside yourself to determine what went | | | | shoulder, a bad back or a broken hand than |
| wrong and how to correct it. With each failure | | | | someone who is short, slow and slight of build? |
| you are forced to rally your courage and rise to | | | | Should those people not even try? Maybe we |
| the occasion. | | | | should tell everyone under 5'5" and 120 pounds, |
| After you win, you concentrate on the | | | | "Don't Bother". |
| achievement of your goal rather than the | | | | Last week we concluded a five-week training |
| mistakes you made. Your very nature allows you | | | | course with a group of people with a wide variety |
| to enjoy the accomplishment and gain confidence | | | | of disabilities from slight learning problems to |
| and attitude. Which are extremely powerful tools, | | | | severe physical issues. All of these people, |
| because BELIEVEING you can be successful is a | | | | everyday learned to adapt and over come |
| lot more powerful than THINKNG you can be | | | | themselves and their environment. They |
| successful. But these don't help you improve | | | | developed the skill of overcoming obstacles. They |
| technically or spiritually. | | | | came to the same conclusion that this is my life |
| Every loss, every injury, every defeat is an | | | | and like the man says, "Get busy living or get |
| opportunity for growth. It's easy to have fun | | | | busy dying". This is the real reason you study |
| when everything goes smoothly, but when does | | | | bushido. |
| that ever happen? We think everyone has it | | | | Skills are habits, habits, and both good and bad |
| easier than we do. This is obviously not the case. | | | | are learned behaviors. On the mat you learn how |
| EVERYONE has the same issues that you do. It's | | | | to overcome set backs and adversity. Listen, you |
| all relative to everyone: a hangnail seems like a big | | | | will never be 100%. You will never be perfect. |
| deal to someone who has never broken a finger. | | | | There will always be something wrong. It's how |
| The difference is, some people deal with them | | | | you handle your setbacks and obstacles that |
| and move forward, others rationalize their decision | | | | make you who you are. Martial Arts are about |
| and go home. | | | | overcoming adversity. It allows you to practice |
| Dealing with a setback forces you to be honest | | | | these habits in a "controlled" environment. It |
| and critical with yourself. This isn't an easy thing | | | | teaches you to develop these habits. These habits |
| to do. But once you've abandoned the excuses | | | | are imprinted on you and become a part of your |
| and stopped pointing the finger, only then will you | | | | behavior. These behaviors are what make the |
| really grow and improve. | | | | difference between a life lived and living a life. |
| All natural ability aside, what separates the good | | | | The more and more I study; the more I realize |
| from the not so good and the God-awful, is the | | | | what a genius Kano was. He developed Judo to |
| ability to take a real long and hard look in the | | | | articulate the real benefits of bushido. He |
| mirror and take stock. You will always hear | | | | developed a way to train life's most important |
| excuses, we all have them. If you chose to stop | | | | skills: appreciation and respect of one another, |
| at the excuse, you will remain there.; technically, | | | | efficiency or best use of resources, and purpose. |
| mentally and physically. You will be forced to | | | | Enjoy your setbacks, learn from them, because |
| repeat the same failure over and over again. It's a | | | | after you accomplish your goal, they are what |
| cycle of habit. Because if it's not this, it will be | | | | you will remember and they will matter most. |