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 more dangerously the achievement of it. There’s no ‘up’ from perfection, only the stagnating and psychologically draining task of trying to maintain it.

So ask not if you were successful; instead ask “Did I challenge myself?” To find challenge and unabashedly meet it, is truly a thing worth celebrating.