| People often try to separate martial arts business | | | | to Wind, or air. Water can slowly wear away |
| from martial arts lifestyles and martial arts | | | | anything in it's path, it can also nourish and give |
| traditional teachings. This is a horrible thing to do, | | | | life. |
| as it turns a way of life into nothing more than | | | | Fire is all about energy, fighting and a strong will to |
| another sport. The philosophies and histories can | | | | succeed. You can have a helpful fire that brings |
| be applied to all parts of life. | | | | warmth and the spark of inspiration to others, or |
| Miyamoto Musashi's Book of Five Rings is a classic | | | | you can have a brush fire -- a raging inferno that |
| example of incorporating traditional martial arts | | | | destroys everything in it's path. Sometimes |
| training into business. All of the traditional martial | | | | destruction is a necessary evil, as you get rid of |
| arts principles and strategies of the samurai in | | | | what is no longer working to make way for new |
| feudal Japan are applicable to the business world | | | | life to grow. |
| today. There is no reason why you can't take | | | | Wind is tradition. Wind teaches us to remember |
| your traditional martial arts training into the | | | | our roots, where we've been and how we got |
| boardroom. Traditional martial arts training teaches | | | | here. Wind also teaches focus. It makes us realize |
| more than how to fight and defend yourself -- it | | | | when we have blown off course and need to get |
| builds your mind and spirit too. While you | | | | back on track. |
| strengthen your body, you strengthen your mind | | | | Finally, there is Void. As Bruce Lee said in Enter |
| and spirit. You become more confident with each | | | | the Dragon, "Don't think. FEEL. It is like a finger |
| lesson you learn or test you successfully pass. | | | | pointing away to the moon. Do not concentrate |
| Hard work, dedication and confidence in oneself | | | | on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly |
| are what make a successful martial artist -- and | | | | glory." Void is all about the journey, not the |
| those same qualities make a successful executive. | | | | destination. While it is good to have goals, you |
| Musashi divides his strategies into the classic five | | | | shouldn't be so focused on the end result that |
| elements that can be easily applied to martial arts | | | | you fail to see the whole process. Learn how |
| business: Ground, Water, Fire, Wind and Void | | | | your project or business works, find the rhythm |
| (spirit). Each of these strategies has the qualities | | | | and use it to your advantage. The martial arts |
| of the elements they are named after. | | | | business hasn't forgotten any of these principles |
| Ground represents strategy. This element | | | | and it's been around for thousands of years. |
| provides the foundation upon which all the others | | | | As has been pointed out, the martial arts business |
| are built. Ground is all about seeing the "big | | | | has been using these principles for thousands of |
| picture", like reading a roadmap that gives you the | | | | years. Would you like to create a business that |
| lay of the land. | | | | lasts for thousands of years? Traditional martial |
| Water teaches us how to be adaptable in any | | | | arts teachings aren't a magic key, of course, and |
| situation. Through Water, we learn how to flow | | | | won't solve all your problems -- but they can |
| around our obstacles to reach our goals. Water is | | | | certainly give you the building blocks to start. |
| probably the single most powerful element next | | | | |