“Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her.” -Lao Tzu
To some, especially in the world of competitive activities including martial arts, being content is not enough. It is only good to strive to get better. The thing is, in order to get better, you have be satisfied with what you have accomplished so far, otherwise, you will allow room for the idea that you might fail at some point to enter your mind.
Being content with oneself is accepting who you are and where you are at, despite any mistakes or flaws that may exist. It is accepting that we are human and in order to truly appreciate success, we must accept defeat as a learning tool and not a means to tear ourselves down further. Yes, one should always strive to get better, but also one should remember that you have come far as it is and that in itself will tell you that no matter the amount of time or difficulty, you will eventually succeed and achieve your goals.
This statement is very much true in the martial arts. We test ourselves constantly, whether against an opponent or a judge or the instructor. We are always trying to make what we know and can do better. Always climbing the next mountain on the way to another one. Sometimes it is important for us to look back and see the mountains we hae already climbed and be content in the knowledge that we have succeeded before and it is not elusive to us. We can do it and we will keep going until we do.
Train hard,
Head Instructor Shawn Morris