topic Two Wolves in Staying well

Two Wolves

SeanA — Sun, 25 May 2014 13:39:01 GMT

If there is one story that defines what goes on inside me - then it is this. It is reproduced from my martial arts blog:

"This next piece is going to be a confession of sorts.

Honesty that is not usually spoken out loud but takes place in all of us at some stage.

The situation took place recently. My instructor stood at the front of the class with his highest ranks next to him. I was one of them. He announced to the class that there were some brown belts looking at black belt and how excited he was at the prospect. The black belt on my left nudged me, as if to say the instructor was talking about me. I looked at him and shook my head as if to say, "No he doesn't mean me."

Hang on, why not?

And where did that negativity come from?

Then I thought maybe I am my own worst enemy when it comes to backing my judgement and belief in myself. Maybe I am holding myself back from going to the next level. Maybe focusing on what I have achieved is stopping me from what I can achieve in the future. Ouch, that’s ego. Surely not me. Surely after 30 years plus of training I would possess the tenacity of a lion when it comes to achievement in any martial art.

What happened was the ‘human’ side of me surfaced. The voice of the teenager who originally started martial arts to become confident still sits in there. Refusing to admit that this alter ego no longer exists is the same as believing that your instructor was always a black belt. Everyone struggles. Everyone has self doubt. Those who stick with their struggles overcome them in the long run. It is just a matter of time.

The Rain Dance

Researchers some time ago heard about a tribe in Africa that had a 100% success rate with their rain dance. Other tribes recorded a 50/50 success rate (sometimes it rained, sometimes it didn’t!) When they tracked down this tribe, they looked at the type of dance, the location, the words they used and everything they did in their particular ritual. Everything matched what other tribes did. They found no reason to have such an incredible record. Then one variable surfaced that made all the difference. They danced UNTIL it rained.

So as humans wanting to achieve, it seems we underestimate the power of Osu No Seishin – Perseverance Under Pressure.

So what now?

Keep moving. The confidence and calmness that you desire lies on the other side of difficulty.

Your instructors job is to present that difficulty. Your job is to confront it."

Two Wolves

White_Rose — Sun, 25 May 2014 23:22:53 GMT

Hello Sean

Glad to meet you.

Your story is fantastic. It's the sort of thing that brings us to a grinding halt whenever we stop working on ourselves to achieve something or get somewhere, then give up or say we can't do it anymore. I bet the tribe in question was exhausted by the time it rained, but hey they succeeded. They reached their goal.

I have to say I am starting again (for about the millionth time) to keep going to reach my goal. Thanks for the inspiration and motivation.

Regards

White Rose

Two Wolves

Neil_1 — Mon, 26 May 2014 01:40:57 GMT

Hi Sean

Welcome to Beyond Blue and may I say, “Well done” on coming here and providing such an insightful and thought provoking thread. The message is there – perseverance. (Although for the life of me, I can’t understand why it’s not spelt: perserverance. With a little ‘r’ in there before the ‘v’. signed, Pedantic Neil.

Sean – did you indeed make it through to be “Black Belt”??

Kind regards

Neil

Ps: that tribe – half way through I was wondering if they’re that good, they should send them to Dubai, where I think it rains on less than handful of times a year. But reading your whole bit, that would be grossly unfair to ask them to dance for that length of time. 🙂

Two Wolves

SeanA — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 06:51:47 GMT

Hey Neil,

Still training. I will get there.....

Will keep you posted.

Sean