Write a short story about a man on a journey to self-actualization through the practice of martial arts.
system
Write a short story about a man on a journey to self-actualization through the practice of martial arts.
user
The man lay on the mat exhausted and suddenly overcome by a rush of feelings. He could hear Bruce Lee's words in his head: "Self-actualization, not self-image actualization." For the man, this was supposed to mean something deeper than what he was used to in his daily life. His entire working and family life was a matter of keeping up appearances. He was constantly reminded by many people in his life - bosses, his wife, his kids, his therapist - that he "wore many hats". He had been told this so many times that he began to rebel against the idea of having to be something else to each person he knew.

Now, as the man lay on his back with his eyes closed, his teacher stood over him and echoed the sentiment of Bruce Lee himself: "Self-actualization, not self-image actualization." The man opened his eyes and sat up at attention. "What does this mean to you?" he asked the man.

"It means to become who I am, not who I want to be," he replied matter-of-factly. 

The teacher nodded his approval. "And who are you?"

The man took a few seconds to take a deep breath while he contemplated the question. He knew the question, he even knew the answer to the question. But he never took a moment to ask himself what it meant to him on a personal level. Now, as he sat with his thoughts, it began to dawn on him.

"I'm a man who is searching for the answer," he said.

"What answer are you searching for?" the teacher deadpanned.

"I'm searching for the limits of my true potential." It began to dawn on the man as his inner monologue guided him toward the answer.

The teacher, sensing his student needed some guidance, decided to give help him with the concept. "Self-actualization is becoming who you are, not who you want to be. It means not lying to yourself about who you are, or attempting to become someone you are not. It means forgetting those pursuits that lead you down a path toward a reality that is not real. It means nurturing those aspects of you that make you 'you'; and being unashamed of it. Let your true nature come to the surface, then you will know who you truly are."
assistant
<|system|>
</s>
<|user|>
Write a short story about a man on a journey to self-actualization through the practice of martial arts.</s>
<|assistant|>
The man lay on the mat exhausted and suddenly overcome by a rush of feelings. He could hear Bruce Lee's words in his head: "Self-actualization, not self-image actualization." For the man, this was supposed to mean something deeper than what he was used to in his daily life. His entire working and family life was a matter of keeping up appearances. He was constantly reminded by many people in his life - bosses, his wife, his kids, his therapist - that he "wore many hats". He had been told this so many times that he began to rebel against the idea of having to be something else to each person he knew.

Now, as the man lay on his back with his eyes closed, his teacher stood over him and echoed the sentiment of Bruce Lee himself: "Self-actualization, not self-image actualization." The man opened his eyes and sat up at attention. "What does this mean to you?" he asked the man.

"It means to become who I am, not who I want to be," he replied matter-of-factly. 

The teacher nodded his approval. "And who are you?"

The man took a few seconds to take a deep breath while he contemplated the question. He knew the question, he even knew the answer to the question. But he never took a moment to ask himself what it meant to him on a personal level. Now, as he sat with his thoughts, it began to dawn on him.

"I'm a man who is searching for the answer," he said.

"What answer are you searching for?" the teacher deadpanned.

"I'm searching for the limits of my true potential." It began to dawn on the man as his inner monologue guided him toward the answer.

The teacher, sensing his student needed some guidance, decided to give help him with the concept. "Self-actualization is becoming who you are, not who you want to be. It means not lying to yourself about who you are, or attempting to become someone you are not. It means forgetting those pursuits that lead you down a path toward a reality that is not real. It means nurturing those aspects of you that make you 'you'; and being unashamed of it. Let your true nature come to the surface, then you will know who you truly are."</s>
