Friday Knight News
"In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves; self-discipline with all of them came first." Harry S. Truman
Many individuals join a dojo to have their martial arts instructor instill a sense of discipline in themselves or in their children. Generally speaking this practice of having another person force us into achieving a sense of discipline is self-defeating. Anytime where an individual is forced to obey rules and a code of behavior, it is not discipline, but it is a form of brainwashing. In my opinion, this type of system is often abused. Many times this substitute for self-discipline is used to force students into obedience when students question something the teacher does not understand or cannot perform. I do not believe this practice is in the highest traditions of martial arts instruction. This is especially true if the instructor has to dish out punishment in the form of exercise to achieve subservient behavior in his students. Using exercise as punishment is counterproductive, from my viewpoint, as it forces us to develop a negative mindset for doing a positive action.
Many individuals join a dojo to have their martial arts instructor instill a sense of discipline in themselves or in their children. Generally speaking this practice of having another person force us into achieving a sense of discipline is self-defeating. Anytime where an individual is forced to obey rules and a code of behavior, it is not discipline, but it is a form of brainwashing. In my opinion, this type of system is often abused. Many times this substitute for self-discipline is used to force students into obedience when students question something the teacher does not understand or cannot perform. I do not believe this practice is in the highest traditions of martial arts instruction. This is especially true if the instructor has to dish out punishment in the form of exercise to achieve subservient behavior in his students. Using exercise as punishment is counterproductive, from my viewpoint, as it forces us to develop a negative mindset for doing a positive action.
To me discipline is better defined as when the individual themselves is continually motivated to understand the application of technique and principals in any branch of knowledge. This type of enthusiasm is a backbone of discipline and gives us the ability to control our temporary feelings and excuses that keep us from our long-range goals. Discipline is nothing more than doing what is needed despite what you feel like doing. However, sometimes there are legitimate reasons why we cannot perform specific portions of our training. That is why I'm writing about developing a creative mindset into cheating your way to self-discipline.
"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment." Jim Rohn
Self-discipline is an exercise of will power, and like any exercise you can make strength gain by regular practice and training. Most people will not be able to run a marathon on their first day of taking up jogging. But if they stick with an incremental plan where they go back and forth with their running objectives they could. They might start off with running 1-2 miles three days a week for the first week. Of course, to break things up they might do a half dozen short 40 to 60 yard sprints on in between days.
Then on the next week they might add one or two extra miles at the first and last of the week and keep the middle of the week with a short two mile run. They can also bump up the dashes on the off days to a 60 to 100 yard instead. You can see the pattern here, I'm sure just bumping things up each week until you are hitting 12 miles on your long days and six on your short days. After this you should be able finish a marathon without too much trouble. If you want to win at a marathon, just keep at it. Just like anything else, having a support group that trains with you makes it easier to stay at it too. Knowing that your presence adds to the success or failure of the others can also be motivational.
When you are too sore, tired, or bored to do your calisthenics is when a lack of discipline might find you enticed into grabbing a bag of chips and watching your favorite martial arts star on a DVD instead. People who know how to cheat at self-discipline might go out for a hike with friends or do some mountain biking instead. If your friends cannot make it over, you might settle on watching the DVD but play a fighting/training game out of it. Learning to substitute one dreaded activity another of greater or equal value is the secret, figure out how to make it fun. So for every time your DVD hero does a move on the bad guys you owe a repetition of some sort of exercise. You can still have some chips, but maybe make them out of kale instead, they will have more vitamins and less calories that way. After all you don't want to waste your efforts.
"I value self-discipline, but creating systems that make it next to impossible to misbehave is more reliable than self-control." Tim Ferriss
When it comes to being injured, I still train. I have always told my students to train injured too. It might not be to the same level of intensity but we still train. The thing is we train around our injury. I have continued to train with broken arms, legs, or even after surgery when I couldn't lift a paperweight. It might have only been moving my arms in the air doing waza while I was flat on my back in bed, but I was moving and my mind was engaged. Self-discipline is, after all, more of a mental exercise, and daily training no matter how you feel is what makes it stronger.
In my Dream Walker series I have told a story about a young man that practices self-discipline to help him control his world. He lives in a world where he is coerced, and abused. He learns to adapt to life through his love of the martial arts while he also trying to adjust to experiences in non-ordinary reality. 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.
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 and the Tutelage of Ming Wu: Dream Walker 6
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.
"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment." Jim Rohn
Self-discipline is an exercise of will power, and like any exercise you can make strength gain by regular practice and training. Most people will not be able to run a marathon on their first day of taking up jogging. But if they stick with an incremental plan where they go back and forth with their running objectives they could. They might start off with running 1-2 miles three days a week for the first week. Of course, to break things up they might do a half dozen short 40 to 60 yard sprints on in between days.
Then on the next week they might add one or two extra miles at the first and last of the week and keep the middle of the week with a short two mile run. They can also bump up the dashes on the off days to a 60 to 100 yard instead. You can see the pattern here, I'm sure just bumping things up each week until you are hitting 12 miles on your long days and six on your short days. After this you should be able finish a marathon without too much trouble. If you want to win at a marathon, just keep at it. Just like anything else, having a support group that trains with you makes it easier to stay at it too. Knowing that your presence adds to the success or failure of the others can also be motivational.
When you are too sore, tired, or bored to do your calisthenics is when a lack of discipline might find you enticed into grabbing a bag of chips and watching your favorite martial arts star on a DVD instead. People who know how to cheat at self-discipline might go out for a hike with friends or do some mountain biking instead. If your friends cannot make it over, you might settle on watching the DVD but play a fighting/training game out of it. Learning to substitute one dreaded activity another of greater or equal value is the secret, figure out how to make it fun. So for every time your DVD hero does a move on the bad guys you owe a repetition of some sort of exercise. You can still have some chips, but maybe make them out of kale instead, they will have more vitamins and less calories that way. After all you don't want to waste your efforts.
"I value self-discipline, but creating systems that make it next to impossible to misbehave is more reliable than self-control." Tim Ferriss
When it comes to being injured, I still train. I have always told my students to train injured too. It might not be to the same level of intensity but we still train. The thing is we train around our injury. I have continued to train with broken arms, legs, or even after surgery when I couldn't lift a paperweight. It might have only been moving my arms in the air doing waza while I was flat on my back in bed, but I was moving and my mind was engaged. Self-discipline is, after all, more of a mental exercise, and daily training no matter how you feel is what makes it stronger.
In my Dream Walker series I have told a story about a young man that practices self-discipline to help him control his world. He lives in a world where he is coerced, and abused. He learns to adapt to life through his love of the martial arts while he also trying to adjust to experiences in non-ordinary reality. 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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