Please take a look at Articles on self-defense/conflict/violence for introductions to the references found in the bibliography page.

Please take a look at my bibliography if you do not see a proper reference to a post.

Please take a look at my Notable Quotes

Hey, Attention on Deck!

Hey, NOTHING here is PERSONAL, get over it - Teach Me and I will Learn!


When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:


I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn


Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.



“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated. - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)



“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)



“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne


I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

Failure, the essence of Success


Today, on a blog post, a commenter made a statement that inspired this post. Today's, not all but a lot, martial systems tend to lean heavily toward such things as money, gratification, minimal effort, minimal attendance and minimal effort outside the training facility. The tend to ignore such things as sweat, blood, tears, exertion, honest effort, diligence, repetitive practice, etc. 

One point stressed in the post was the lack of perceived failure in practice and training. We fail, it is a part of life. It is how we all build our experiences, both with success and failure. It is the same duality of opposites that result in change, yin for success and yang for failure. Failure results in a creative process where a person looks within and deals with the emotional ride failure brings with it be it a mile failure or a large one. 

It is these failures that teach us how to be successful. It is how we attribute value to those failures in achieving success, both current and future. If you don't stretch outside your norm, your comfort zone, your mental limits then you are doomed to continue failing or worse you are doomed to do nothing. 

Martial systems require a lot of practice, training and more practice. It deals with gratification and boredom. It has a requirement of attendance and dedication to an effort that exposes you to "both" success and failure. It results in an effort and self-acceptance that raises the level of esteem, ability and expertise in the things we do in life and in martial arts. 

We are human and we all have to remind ourselves that life is not just about the good things, the fun things, getting our highs without the possibilities of the lows. Instant gratifications without the natural low points between or at least a balance of the low and high are not what it is all about. Are we losing the true value of achievement when we assume that there are or should not be any failures and those emotional prices we pay to experience it all? 

All to often those who participate in a form of martial art dedicated to those things that provide gratification without the flip side of hard work, dedication and diligence tend to lose site of what matters. Those who give this willingly and for the sole model of profit do us all a disservice. It is this that makes one hesitate to say to the uninitiated that they practice karate simply because of misinformation, misuse and misunderstanding. 

Failure is the essence of success. It is a corner stone of martial systems, traditional and classical. It makes an expert, an expert, It makes the master, the master. Failure is not given its due and often relegated to some distant dark corner of the unspeakable. Failure is the light that shows us the way to enlightenment. Its darkest reaches illuminate the path to great success. 

To be open to failure is to be available for success. Take failure out of the closet and choose to meet it head on, full force and with the open-mind of self to achieve higher levels of success. 

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