Own it! – I say.
What does ownership mean? What does it actually mean to own something? The question is if not simple, then, for sure, trivial. We all know what ownership means.
Well, do we?!
Ownership is an act, state or right of possession of something. Whether object if possession is material or not, based on the definition above, ownership means to control. Agreed?
Let’s then discuss your karate-do. Let me ask you a couple of rhetorical questions, please:
– Do you join practice in the dojo regularly and commit during the practice?
– Do you practice karate every day on your own additionally to that?
– Do you question yourself and your instructor and process the received inputs actively?
– Do you research and investigate karate on the Internet or in the books?
– Do you know what you want to achieve and apply yourself to make it happen?
– Do you control your own karate development?
Now, tell me or, actually better yourself, if you own your karate-do!
Karate-do as an art cannot be bought. It is not a belt, a KARATEGI, a certificate or a medal. Those are just decorations, and not even products of this activity. It takes much more than just paying fees regularity and with no delay, and then appearing once in a while in the dojo. It is not about satisfying your ego by winning fights in competitions or fixing your confidence in the bar or street fights.
It is about control and ownership of your development in your karate-do.
You should own your karate!
Why? Because no one else will do it for you? It is a cognitive process (cause-effect):
The more you commit to it (cause), the better it gets (effect). And if you understand that and enjoy the self-reflection and development process, it will result in:
– self-defence skills
– mental and physical health
– vitality and longevity
– confidence and decisiveness
– relaxation and stress-resistance
– and much more.
There are 168 hours in a week. Minimum 50 hours, including commuting etc., we spend at work. About 56 hours we need for sleep. Minimum 20 hours we spend on groceries shopping, cooking and eating. We socialize, watch movies, read books, play games and enjoy some hobbies for about 7 hours a week. So, there 35 hours still left. Even if you choose to practice in the dojo 3 times a week, you are still left with about 27 hours for your own development. Now, imagine you practice 30 minutes extra every day! Still more than 20 hours are left for other stuff. But if you do it for a couple if years you will progress significantly. Remember 1% a day…
All above is just a rationale. Ideally the more you practice, the more you develop a taste for it. It is up to you what you want from karate and how much you commit for it. In any case…
Own you karate! Make it yours!
Commit! ICHI GO ICHI E (一期一会)!
Enjoy! Make it your IKIGAI (生き甲斐)!
Use your instructor! The instructor is to help you on your way.
Own it! – I say…
And you will see the difference.
PS: “If you get one percent better each day for one year, you’ll end up thirty-seven times better by the time you’re done”.
