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