Do you think that you suck at karate?

Do you ever feel that you can never really be good at karate (or any other endeavor—‘you are attempting to master’, even daily things in life—for that matter)? IF NOT, if you don’t feel this pressure, you are going nowhere. Just standing still on the escalator.

 

This is not only my point of view, but an irrefutable fact, for  EVERYONE… You, me, literally everyone, must understand that ‘becoming and being good at something requires self pressure’. We face it, or we don’t. The funny thing is that when people don’t face the heat, they tend to get down and lose their self-esteem: sometimes, worse. 

All of this is a waste, so many exceptional people limit themselves, or even ruin themselves, by inner fears and insecurities. If you read this, and feel this is you, I certainly don’t want to pretend to be a ‘motivational speaker’; but rather, to emphasize that you have the motivational fire within yourself. That sounds so cheesy, but it’s a fact. Everyone needs to know that they are awesome, even though we all have limitations. The key here is to ‘go with what you’ve got’. If you are an apple you can try and be an orange, but you will never  be a first class orange. Be yourself, so you can maximize yourself and your life! You can. It's a choice. Sitting back it becomes harder and harder to move. Pushing forward, and keep pushing forward - after a while - results in forward momentum. Enjoy comfort and feel bad, or face the challenge, win or lose, and get adrenalized. The comfort times are a gimme once one crosses their 'uncomfortable zones'.

 The reality is ‘what we do with stress and pressure’ is paramount to our wellbeing and, furthermore, determines how much we advance in our chosen endeavors, work, everything.

 

Irrespective if you do or don’t do karate, quit karate, or otherwise—WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO—smash through the wall like Bassai. Personal excellence can be attained by everyone, and, by defying self-doubt and facing pressure, people can also build a strong heart and resilience.

 

These points, of course, transcend karate or any other endeavor.

 

Face the pressure and endure the fight. Like the dripping tap. Victory eventually comes.

 押忍、アンドレ

© André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (2022).