"A nail that sticks out is hammered down."
We must practice humility in martial arts. The road to success in any endeavor is long and arduous and must be driven with humility. Each movement, every kata, all the philosophies learned come together to mold the martial artist who is seeking to apply the training to the whole self. Perfection must be meant with imperfection to obtain mastery in your art. Evaluate yourself daily and seek to improve upon the little things because they matter most. Our chemistry is one built of microscopic organisms, macro objects, developed tissues, and so on. We're built by one important building block at a time, our final construction is who we are today. One aspect of martial arts teaches us to be in tune with our bodies and to constantly improve them. Can we strike faster? Punch harder? Retreat more effectively? This all requires a healthy body and clear mind. Evaluate yourself.
Find a mirror and carefully study your imperfections. What would you like to change? Do you feel healthy? Are your sleeping, eating, and drinking habits in tune with the lifestyle you've embraced? Can you improve yourself? We must be realists about our situation and understand that improvement takes time and require the same elements of endurance and patience that life in general demands of us. For more information on taking a breath and being real about success, please read this article: http://coachtiasorensen.wordpress.com/2012/08/13/be-a-tortoise-not-a-hare/.
A nail that sticks out is hammered down. This Japanese proverb has many interpretations and applications to life. As a martial artist, it applies to you every time you pick up your sword to train or practice kata as well as outside the dojo to anything you dedicate yourself to. It's important that you practice being humble in all things. Hammer down the nail. Above, the physical aspect of improvement is mentioned briefly. What is more, is the mind. Our attitude will become the beacon of our success, overconfidence will become our ruin. It is unfortunate when another student feels the need to point out that they have noticed so and so is lacking in training and feel that they are the superior martial artist. For this student, the nail it sticking up and will not only cause him or her to trip and become injured, but becomes an encumbrance to anyone around them.
Be proud of what you do, but do not let this pride become a subversion to your training. You are no better than anyone around you, even if you feel that you're progressing faster and understand a concept more deeply. This mentality will quickly convert to arrogance and there is no place in a dojo for students like this. Again, look in a mirror. Are you in control of your emotions? Are you patient? Do you think before you speak? Do pride and jealousy dictate your actions? Do you cling to the past? Are you happy? If you notice a nail sticking out after this evaluation, you must hammer it down. This may take time, but use the skills you've learned in martial arts to make the necessary changes to smooth out the flooring where you will no longer be a hindrance to yourself and others.
Hammer down the nail!
