Consider Carefully

Further to my Looking Good and Going Nowhere blog – please indulge me in one of my passions: taking lessons I have learned on the mat and bringing them into the broader aspects of our lives …
I am going to list some of the most common behaviors I see in the martial arts landscape and compare them to their respective success-oriented alternatives – these things, I have found, apply both on and off the mat …
Stay safe – remain the same VS Constant experimentation regardless of outcome
Maximal effort – minimum result VS Minimum effort – maximum result (leverage)
Respect my rank VS Respect my efforts
Need admiration of others VS Uncaring of what others think
Wanting the payoff now VS Willingness to sacrifice now for payoff later
Favoring offense over defense VS Placing equal value on offense and defense
One maximal effort VS non-stop incremental improvements
Gravitate towards convenience VS Un-phased by the inconvenient
Micro-specialization VS In-depth diversification
Focus on goals VS Focus on process

Thoughts ... JBW

Comments

Anonymous said…
Love the food for thought you provide endless amounts of. As for 'Focus on goals VS Focus on process', I say why not both? Have the goal and focus on getting there, but enjoy and revel in the process all the same :)
JBW said…
Anon
I understand that what you say is mainstream belief - it is just not what I believe. I am not saying don't HAVE goals - I am just saying don't focus on them. Instead, focus all of your attention on that single step toward your goal - the step right in front of you. Goal acquisition, in my experience, is a result of total and full attention on the next all-important step.
Best wishes to you
John
Rowan said…
I look at the list of success-oriented alternatives and knod in agreement...but i would have knodded in agreement 2 years ago if I read that same list. I can see where I have to change, its the "doing" the change that is the hard bit.

Maybe I need to focus on the next step towards the change and not the goal of the change :)

Time for some planning (and doing).

Great post
Cameron said…
John, thanks for the valuable content in your blog. This is always my first BJJ stop on the internet.

I would love to hear your thoughts on "Micro-specialization VS In-depth diversification."

It sounds like you're promoting diversification over specilization, but I think one of my problems has been too much diversification and not enough specialization (i.e. jack of all trades, master of none). Not sure if that's the same idea your referencing, but would love to know!

Thanks,
Cameron

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