Boost Your Martial Arts Training

There was another thought provoking post at Budo Journeyman. An excerpt is below. The full post may be read here.

Take it from me, these three factors I’ve either benefitted from, or my past self would have reaped the largesse,… if I had known. And so, I want to share this with my readers.

Power Boost number one:

Tap into the right mantras and motivators.

Everybody likes a saying, a phrase that is a go-to kick in the pants. The problem is that this stuff is all over the Internet and although it sounds profound, it either isn’t or it’s not going to rock your world. Some of it is even contradictory.

Here are a few things that I either would have benefitted from, or I still tap into today. All relating to training in the martial arts:

Marcus Aurelius (Roman emperor warrior and Stoic Philosopher). The full quote is:

“I have to go to work — as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I'm going to do what I was born for — the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?'"

Or, ‘nobody achieves anything by lying in bed’.

Now try this one…

Ray Kroc (the founder of McDonalds) quote:

"The two most important requirements for major success are: first, being in the right place at the right time, and second, doing something about it"

A very similar quote, or the same sentiment is attributed to the founder of Motown Records, Berry Gordy.

 

Whether it’s written down, or from verbal tradition; work out what works for you.

I can relate this the Brian Eno’s ‘The Scenius’ mentioned in my piece on Genius; https://budojourneyman.substack.com/p/the-genius-effect

Recognise that you are in a major advantageous situation and milk it for all it’s worth.

Sometimes, you are in the middle of something, a door opens and you fail to act (I have certain personal regrets that continue to haunt me to this day).

And now…

Ellis Amdur (martial arts writer and respected Koryu practitioner).

Paraphrased here:

If you want to really figure out the wisdom of a true martial arts expert, ‘all you gotta do is PAY ATTENTION’.

Brilliant. Too many people have real pearls of wisdom laid out in front of them by a genuine authority and allow their own mental chatter to get in the way.

Sort yourself out!

Confession time; I have made this error myself. I missed it first time round because I was too busy transposing my own ‘wisdom’ over the top of it (fool that I am).

There are many more, but it’s what works for you.