Tag: Martial Arts Inspired

Mastery Is Not An End

Eight years ago, on this day, I tested for my 4th degree black belt in ITF Tae Kwon-Do—the rank of master in our martial arts system.

The title “master” can mean many different things to many different people and there were plenty of schools of thought and opinions that were passed along my way that helped me uncover my own.

To me, this step is similar to the step that’s taken when a young person graduates from school and enters “the real world;” when the child moves out of their parents’ house and learns to provide for themselves; when the sheltered homebody is sent off on a worldly adventure to learn how to make it on their own.

What I see in that title is a symbolic shift in responsibility from being a student within the school to being a student of the arts. From being a dependent on the teachers’ knowledge to being an independent seeker of knowledge. From being a disciplined practitioner to being a self-disciplined ambassador and leader.

Look at it as an ending… and you’ll quickly lose the habits and skillsets that got you there in the first place.

As it is with any skillset that’s “mastered” in life.

Mastery doesn’t represent an end to learning.

It doesn’t represent an end to training.

And it definitely doesn’t represent an end to what can be uncovered within the art(s).

Mastery, as is the case with every stage along our journey, should be looked at as yet another beginning. One that should be taken with an increased sense of responsibility, a heightened sense of pride, and a stronger than ever devotion to realizing one’s potential.

Onward.

Mistakes Aren’t Mistakes

In martial arts, mistakes aren’t deviations from the training—they’re a fundamental component of it.

In other words, learning how to recover from mistakes is just as important as learning how to properly punch and kick in the first place.

The reason is because in self-defense—one of the fundamental focuses of any martial art—there are no do-overs. You don’t get to ask your attacker to stop and re-attack you because you made a mistake doing your self-defense or you weren’t ready.

The self-defense must go on. Your thinking must carry on. Your movement must flow on.

And if that’s the end goal, then that has to be the way in which we practice—because the way we practice IS the way we’re going to perform.

And so it is in life.

Mistakes aren’t deviations from the path—they’re a necessary part of the path.

They’re opportunities for us to learn how to think quickly on our feet… to look for openings in unexpected circumstances…to practice being calm and collected even when we’re flustered or confused.

We learn to roll with the punches, both in martial arts and in life, because fighting is never perfect. It’s messy, ugly, and surprising… and preparing for THAT—practicing when it IS that—is preparing for life.

Preparing for perfect is planning for fantasy. And planning for fantasy is the REAL mistake.

Why Do Martial Arts Forms / Patterns?

In Tae Kwon-Do, we practice forms—traditionally constructed and precise patterns of moves—for a variety of reasons.

To the untrained eye, one might wonder what their purpose is… here’s a traditional form I performed in 2015 for context.

…They certainly don’t look like moves you might use to defend yourself. Which, as most people might understand it, should be one of the primary goals of training in martial arts.

To which I’d say it is… and that they actually are… moves to help you learn to do exactly that.

…The translation just isn’t literal.

In the same way an allegory is a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning… forms are carefully constructed (artistic) patterns of moves that are densely saturated with hidden meaning.

…Which makes them one of the most important mediums through which our art’s sacred lessons are handed down from one generation of martial artists to the next.

To those who look at and judge it by what they see on the surface… the lessons will forever remain a mystery.

But, to those who humble themselves enough to become a practitioner and try… and learn… and experiment… will slowly… slowly… reveal a world dense with knowledge and lessons that will forever change how they engage with the art and mystery of life.

Today’s inner work prompt is this: what’s something you only understand superficially that you’d like to get to know more deeply? Be it a spiritual text, a culturally rich form of movement, or even yourself… pick something, block out some reoccurring time for it, and begin to explore.

There’s far more than what’s on the surface.

Traveling the Distance

Today, the Martial Arts Association I’m a part of hosted a black belt and higher level degree test for 80 candidates.

Each earned their way onto that testing floor from years and years of consistent hard training and well displayed martial arts culture / respect.

And each outlasting many of their peers who started on the same journey with them. Maybe only 1% makes it all the way from white belt to black belt. And maybe .01% makes it to the higher degrees. Their dedication carried them forward to a place where most never travel.

And so it is with everything we do in life.

There’s nothing wrong with stopping something you’re no longer passionate about or choosing to explore other areas of interest. But, do that too much, and you’ll never get to travel to that place where only the smallest of percentages get to.

What you pick doesn’t matter per se… what matters is that you pick.

And that you give what you pick your absolute best shot… through thick and thin… when it’s sunny outside and when it’s rainy… when you’re feeling lazy and when you’re feeling on top of the world… when you’re feeling low and when you’re feeling unstoppable…

Traveling the distance is what gives us roots. It’s what gives us depth. It’s what gives us wisdom.

Miyamoto Musashi said, “To know ten thousand things, know one well.” …And this is what he means.

Go deep in one specific domain and the rest of the universe reveals itself. Submit to your lazy nature and dilly dally your way from one thing to the next to the next… and you’ll forever only understand what’s on the surface.

Practice Does Not Make Perfect

One of my students asked me the other day, “I practice so hard… why do I still make mistakes?”

And I said, “Easy. Because you’re human.”

The outcome of practicing hard isn’t perfect.

…Expecting this of ourselves is to overlook our nature as imperfect creatures.

The outcome of practicing hard is better… and better is the most we should ever ask of ourselves as we continue our quests not towards perfect… but towards understanding… towards confidence… towards art… towards mastery… towards self-actualization… towards legacy… towards expressing what it means to uniquely human—uniquely us.

Hope For The Harder Option

“I hope I get to compete against the 13 year olds and not the 15 year olds” …One of my 14 year old martial arts students said to me today.

To which I replied, “No. Hope you get to compete against the 15 year olds. Start mentally preparing for them now. Then, the only surprise you’ll get is that you have to compete against the 13 year olds.”

…So many times in life, we hope for the easy/ easier/ easiest option—it’s only natural. We humans are wired to pursue the path of least resistance. But—as I’m sure each of you reading this are all too familiar with—life doesn’t consult us on what our preferences are. Life doesn’t care what’s convenient for us or what we want. Life just happens—for better and for worst.

And rather than praying for lighter burdens—as the saying goes—we should be hoping and praying for stronger backs. By preparing for the tougher of the alternative outcomes, we prepare ourselves in the best way for any of the possible outcomes. Including the ones we hoped wouldn’t happen, but did anyway.

…Like the one my 14 year old student faced today when she found out she had to compete against the 15 year olds.

Don’t Get A Big Head

At the conclusion of a martial arts tournament I’m attending this weekend, the Grand Master said the following in regards to the people who won [In a thick Korean accent]:

“Congratulations! Enjoy this victory. But, don’t get a big head.”

And in regards to the people who lost:

“If you didn’t win today—it’s okay. Now, you have something to train hard for.”

And tying it together he said (and I’m paraphrasing according to memory):

“The people who won today will become comfortable. They will relax. They don’t get the same fire inside. They get big heads. Don’t let that happen to you. Use this experience to keep training hard. Whether you win or lose.”

And it’s a great reminder I’d say to not let your head get big—in whatever space you’re in. And to always find ways you can add fuel to your inner fire—regardless of how your life experiences unfold.

Experiences are experiences. They aren’t inherently good or bad—per se. It’s what we do with the experiences—how we interpret them, shape them, use them—that counts.

…And ultimately, what’ll end up making all of the difference in each of the life experiences that have yet to come.