I have done many things in my life that didn’t work out. I have found myself on adventures of which I had imagined fantastic and romantic ends that never came to be. Many of these adventures had their fair share of pain and hardship. Yet I don’t regret these adventures, in that I don’t regret who I am now. I Read More …
This is one of our biggest barriers to growth. Who doesn’t fear looking like a failure in front of judging eyes? Who doesn’t see all eyes as potential judges? Even brand new students who have never held a sword before share experiences of feeling like they look stupid during their first class. Many resist ever having a first class for Read More …
This is a pretty common question. Often when we start into something new, we’re eager to get past that first awkward and potentially embarrassing stage and get onto looking like a badass as quickly as possible. I have two answers to this question: 1. About one year. This isn’t when you’ll be a complete badass, but if you put in Read More …
How do you think abundantly in a world that is obviously scarce? There is only so much oil in the earth, only so many dollars in your bank account, only so much blanket to share with your blanket-hogging bedmate. Abundant thinking doesn’t mean ignoring limits; simply having the vision to see beyond them. An abundant life is not one without Read More …
Be a hard worker, seek challenge, love struggle, and celebrate the journey. Be the someone who chooses the 1200 page book because it will last longer. If you’re thinking about the finish line in mile 1 of a marathon, the next 25 miles are going to be very hard going. Be the person who just loves to run.
Sometimes a lot of failure can be easier to deal with than a little. Failing at something that you feel you ‘should’ be able to do can have some sting to it. Failing at something that is downright ‘impossible’ to do is expected and can thus seem less risky from a psychological or social perspective. In our personal internal work Read More …
I watched a line of students finish a perfect series of parry drills in class tonight. On one hand I might congratulate myself on having done so well with my students yet the real question to ask is “Are my students challenging themselves enough?” Perfection is the enemy of a healthy training mindset. Not simply the pursuit of it but Read More …