Friday Knight News
It is said that happiness is built on a high sense of self esteem, but that isn't true. That is many people have a false sense of themselves based on a hollow or artificially based perception. Self-esteem has been a magical go to term that implies everyone is a winner that shows up for practice. This is true no matter if the practice is showing up the school force scholastic achievement, joining the team in sitting on the bench or standing around in your uniform not doing much other than being there. The reason this is not effective is having a high sense of self-esteem based on participation alone is faulty and inaccurate mathematical.
Here is the math, we've been told that half of succeeding in anything is showing up or being there and this is primarily true. This is where the math comes in as half equals 50% and 50% of anything especially when calculating grades and successful performances is woefully inadequate. It is also true that people who are gifted or talented in various areas of life often perform at a higher level than their peers even when they show up half the time.
Some people have the ability to paint, draw, sing with perfect pitch or have outstanding athletic performance without having to put in the effort. I have always idolized people with this ability especially when the skill is easily discernible. I've resigned myself to the fact that unless some new skill is developed that I have not previously been tested in that I will never achieve this idiot savant type of status. I know many people will claim that I have the first part of this down but I don’t believe I have the second portion even within my sites. Still I will use myself as an example for this trait, as I have had some minor success in this area. When I was in high school I rarely stayed in school for half a day, and sometimes I would miss weeks of attendance at a time. Nonetheless I could show up for semester test without my grades having to suffer. I maintained an A and B average without bringing home a single book to study. I was also allowed to participate in an extra credit program for tutoring and assisting teaching during this time. This program did boost my attendance and it did help me later on as I tutored college students, some of which received national honors recognition and or recruitment from schools like Harvard.
Still having innate talent and skills that others may envy do not create self-esteem. While I was able to perform well in these situations and circumstances I lacked good self-esteem due to the fact that with these blessings I also suffered from my inability to spell and write. To this day I have difficulty spelling and often misspell words that I am reading the letters to get them correctly. I no longer write words or letters upside down or backwards but through self training I have been able to avoid this; even if it isn't one hundred percent foolproof.
In the martial arts striking skills are fundamental to combat performance even with grappling based systems. To develop self-esteem in this area we must do the work, practice to develop authority in our techniques. Having authority (confidence in the effectiveness of our technique) we need to develop our techniques to fit in with our own personal best developed traits. Some of us will experience this development in different areas, speed, accuracy, power and flow can vary person-to-person even with training. However, our goal can be met when we reach our potential in whichever combination of the traits fits our physique and mentality best. This is what truly defines a style and not the origin of an art. The trick is to have authority in your striking techniques is where a makiwara or similar device helps. I will discuss lessons from the makiwara next week.
My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.
Here is the math, we've been told that half of succeeding in anything is showing up or being there and this is primarily true. This is where the math comes in as half equals 50% and 50% of anything especially when calculating grades and successful performances is woefully inadequate. It is also true that people who are gifted or talented in various areas of life often perform at a higher level than their peers even when they show up half the time.
Some people have the ability to paint, draw, sing with perfect pitch or have outstanding athletic performance without having to put in the effort. I have always idolized people with this ability especially when the skill is easily discernible. I've resigned myself to the fact that unless some new skill is developed that I have not previously been tested in that I will never achieve this idiot savant type of status. I know many people will claim that I have the first part of this down but I don’t believe I have the second portion even within my sites. Still I will use myself as an example for this trait, as I have had some minor success in this area. When I was in high school I rarely stayed in school for half a day, and sometimes I would miss weeks of attendance at a time. Nonetheless I could show up for semester test without my grades having to suffer. I maintained an A and B average without bringing home a single book to study. I was also allowed to participate in an extra credit program for tutoring and assisting teaching during this time. This program did boost my attendance and it did help me later on as I tutored college students, some of which received national honors recognition and or recruitment from schools like Harvard.
Still having innate talent and skills that others may envy do not create self-esteem. While I was able to perform well in these situations and circumstances I lacked good self-esteem due to the fact that with these blessings I also suffered from my inability to spell and write. To this day I have difficulty spelling and often misspell words that I am reading the letters to get them correctly. I no longer write words or letters upside down or backwards but through self training I have been able to avoid this; even if it isn't one hundred percent foolproof.
In the martial arts striking skills are fundamental to combat performance even with grappling based systems. To develop self-esteem in this area we must do the work, practice to develop authority in our techniques. Having authority (confidence in the effectiveness of our technique) we need to develop our techniques to fit in with our own personal best developed traits. Some of us will experience this development in different areas, speed, accuracy, power and flow can vary person-to-person even with training. However, our goal can be met when we reach our potential in whichever combination of the traits fits our physique and mentality best. This is what truly defines a style and not the origin of an art. The trick is to have authority in your striking techniques is where a makiwara or similar device helps. I will discuss lessons from the makiwara next week.
My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.
Conversations with a Sage (Book 1 of the Dream-Walker)
Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past.
Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past.
Xander and the Assassins Gift (Book 2 of the Dream-Walker)
The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.
Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)
Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.
The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.
Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)
Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.
Jace Lee The Shift (Book 4 of the Dream-Walker)
Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, that is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers.
Jace Lee No Agenda (Dream Walker Book 5)
Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers.
Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.
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