In the martial arts being led around by an opponent will mean that I’m under his control. He will do what he wants with me. I’ll lose, and my opponent will win.
Life treats us similarly. If I am constantly under life’s direction I will be its victim. I will not get what I’m looking for. I will not win at life, so to speak.
However, if we take charge of the situation we’re in, we can direct it how we want. This is by no means to say that we can control any situation, or even another person (combat opponent). What this is saying is that we can help direct it towards something favorable to us.
In a fight, if I tie up an opponents arms by crossing his left over his right arm. I can then attack his left side. His left arm is pinning his right to his chest, all directed by my left hand holding his left wrist. This leaves his left side open, and my right hand free to attack it.
We cannot tie up life, like we do an opponent in a fight, but we can roll with what life offers us. We’ve all heard the aphorism that “if life gives you lemons, then make lemonade”. This is exactly what I’m talking about with rolling with what life offers.
If I remain rigid and stuck to my “plan” then I cannot adjust to what comes my way, alter my plan, nor succeed in my main goal. If I remain stuck in my ways, then most likely I’ll fall like a stiff tree in a strong wind.
My goal in a fight is to win, my goal in most life situations is to learn from them and better myself, and offer that knowledge to those around me. This way we’re all growing in a positive direction. This way we can work as a team, where we all offer somethings in order to be better than on our own.
We need to remember our goals, to not get lost in the fine details of getting things accomplished. If we keep our benchmark (our goal) in our sites, or refer back to it as needed, we cannot get lost. Just remember to keep that focus, to keep coming back to what your goal is. Don’t worry if it changes slightly over time. That’s rolling with what life offers us.
Shifu Daniel Cimino