It is a funny thing you know, when you always put yourself to a limit, try to become better everyday and then there are some out there comparing themselve to you and thinking to be equal.
The fact that they compare with you and not you with them does not count so much it seems.
And the outside viewer, who has no idea what is going on, who did not walk the same path, thinks about egos crushing each other and therefore considers them equal.
That is the reason, why there are so many too shy to make a stand.
The shallowness of the viewer, reader or potential customer prohibits the truth.
It is a proven fact that the coward in us made us survive the last million years.
It is clear that sitting in the cave, running away and living in fear made us live longer.
You could not challenge the saber-toothed tiger and therefore you crept under the next stone.
Therefore some say it is in our genes.
So are we born cowards?
Definitly not. Because to be born needs enough bravery.
I like the internet term „Troll“. These are people, who always comment bad on things you do. Always act against you because of no reason (well, they must have a reason). There are psychology-studies, which conclude that jealousy is the main reason for that act.
You post something blue and they change the topic to red.
Or then there are these Guru-Trolls, this is a new species.
They come with a term, stolen from the web like „do not challenge, walk a path, or yesterday is history, tommorow is mystery … (well, we all know this from Kung Fu Panda, right? 🙂 ) and think to appear wise and peaceful.
Then there are these Age-Trolls, speaking from above meaning that they are older and more mature. If so why you need to talk anyway?
The worst are the Qualification-Trolls.
Let’s say you are a lawyer.
In my country first you have to study law.
Then you have to make half a year at a court, learning the system of it.
Then for another four and a half years you have to get a job in a lawfirm.
Only after you passed that time, ergo you gained that experience you are allowed to try one of the most difficult tests. The one to become a lawyer.
These Quali-Trolls then are just from the university and act like having the experience of someone walking the whole path.
Outsiders, who have no idea of being a lawyer consider both equal in their discussion and therefore do the mistake not checking the qualification.
It really does not matter if you try to act as a lawyer only after studies and do that for 20 years.
It really does not matter that you open a restaurant only after cooking school and do that for 20 years.
It really does not matter that you open a dojo with only 1DAn in one discipline and do that for 20 years.
Your qualification is insufficient.
And it will not become better unless you continue the training with someone, who walked the path.
Because if you only know to walk and walk for twenty years you still only know to walk. You can not run.
That is the reason why average rules.
And you know it gets sometimes really anoying.
BUT, that is OK.
It is OK because if you are someone, who continues the training, if you are someone making these difficult tests, then you are someone, who makes a difference.
Steve Jobs said you should dare!
And he said that in front of university students. The message is clear.
For daring you need learning first.
These trolls think that they can learn everything on their own. They do not need teachers, they do not need rules for learning.
They think they just can go.
In the traditional japanese martial art there is a saying.
„You need to digest it“
It means first you learn it.
Then you train it.
And when it becomes natural then you have digested it.
I remember when in Japan my student 3rd KYU Iai at that time won a Shiai against a Shihan from abroad.
Or another female student 3rd KYU won a Randori against a female sensei.
Can you imagine that there are even people posting charts on the internet which say that you only have to be in the club a specific amount of time to get a graduation. Or that people selling DVDs and the black belt certificate with it over the internet.
How can that be?
It is because there is a market for it. Because average rules.
Guru-Troll: „It is not important to win or to loose“
Age-Troll: „I let him win so that he feels fine and continues training, otherwise he would not want to go on.“ or „How dare you to challenge me I am older than you.“
Qualification-Troll: „It is just because I can not show my full potential as I would do some other stuff not being allowed here.“
Regular-Troll: „It was no fair.“
It is just because you did not continue the path. It is just because you did not WANT to learn more.
The very first thing you have to learn when opening a very small business following the call of faith is not to be average.
Every niche business must look out for the outer rim of the customer bell.
Not to be average is the key to success they say.
In the Budo Institut we do it the old way.
Like my master said: „In Koryu there is only one direction“.
Shunryu Suzuki speaks of the „Beginners mind“
I call it „Angreifer Geist“ (attackers mind)
I mean if you face a problem attack it.
Speaking of million years ago.
To attack means that blood pressure rises.
Your pupils widen.
Your heart rate rises.
Your awareness reaches a point of 100 %.
You start to sweat. You taste it in your mouth.
You hear about double as good.
In one word your senses are fully up and running. There is only one „sense“ missing. The brain.
And so you shall learn, so you shall train, so you shall solve problems.
Go in them, Go through them. Digest them.
You are not a troll, who is searching for comparison on another field of expertise, you are not a coward running away.
You do not need to.
Life is a challenge.
The path always is a challenge.
And it needs your full attention, your honesty, your honour and your braveness.
Then you will be proud of what you achieved because you feel it is right.
You will be above average.
You will become a master then.
And then the trolls will leave for mordor.
