Diligent Practice
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle
I once asked my teacher who is a well known martial artist and excellent teacher from China what it was that made him so successful. Known to talk little, he said only three words: Keep doing it.
Somewhat in disbelief, I kept wondering over the years if it could really be that simple. I’ve come to the conclusion that doing things over and over again, is indeed what makes me improve. With each repetition I learn a little more, discover something new. My teacher tried to give us a taste of what he called ‘diligent practice’ by making us do the same routine exercises over and over. We were all surprised how much stronger we got, more fluid, more flexible, more graceful, even healthier. The hard part, of course, is to keep up a strong routine of practicing on your own. We are all in the same boat, sometimes (or at all times) we need each other’s energy to get our own energy going. Going to a class to train your mind and body toward that ability to persevere is the ticket to success. In my experience, once one practices often and regularly one’s thinking is going to change. Why? After repeating something over and over again, the mind suddenly becomes still and alert. It is a practice of the mind, no matter what art a person is involved with.
So… Keep doing it!
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