Good Timber Does Not Grow With Ease



A lot of people quit martial arts because they claim it’s too hard.

Martial arts is one of the few things left in life that doesn’t try to become easier. Software designers strive to make their programs easier to use. Car designers constantly make their cars easier to drive. TV designers aim to make their sets easier to control. We’ve all seen the adverts, “Lose weight with our five minute routine.” The golden rule seems to be maximum results for minimal effort. Everyone seems to want life to be easy and simple.

The problem with an easy life void of any kind of struggle is that we do not develop.

To grow we need to be challenged and pushed beyond our comfort zones. We need to know that in hard times we can cope.

How can we be sure of this if we have never successfully dealt with stress, difficulties or any other kind of adversity?

In my opinion the fundamental purpose of modern day martial arts is not teach how to fight but to present increasingly difficult challenges so that even the physically and mentally weaker students can develop their spirits and bodies in such a gradual way that they don’t even realise how much progress they have made.

I can say without a shadow of doubt that all of my long term junior students have parents who understand and appreciate this. They know that without difficulties and challenges their children will not have the tools to make them strong independent adults.

I always feel disappointed when a student quits “Because it’s too hard”. They don’t realise that if it was all easy there would be no point to it. It is overcoming the challenges and persevering that makes us stronger and more confident people.

When you have to face adversity in life which will have prepared you best? Always taking easy options or the knowledge from consistently overcoming struggles and challenges that you can handle it. Next time you’re feeling the strain in class thinking how tough it is remind yourself of this.