“Perception is strong and sight weak. In strategy it is important to see distant things as if they were close and to take a distanced view of close things.” - Miyamoto Musashi
The best martial artists don’t see problems. Don’t get me wrong. It is not that martial artists don’t “have” problems; they just choose not to “see” them in terms of being something negative. This is more than having a positive mental attitude. A martial artist is supposed to approach problems unemotionally and just see them as challenges that need to be overcome. That is why one of the highest teachings in the martial arts is equanimity. One way to say “problem” in Japanese is nukisashinaranu (抜き差しならぬ). Nuki (抜き) pertains to “drawing one’s sword” and thus one gets into a “sticky situation” and has a problem drawing their sword. Martial artists choose not to get tangled up in problems because they are supposed to be solution based people who kaitouranma (快刀乱麻) or “solve problems swiftly and skillfully.” Kaitouranma is supposed to refer to the legend of Alexander the Great who solved the puzzle of the Gordian Knot. A Gordian Knot is a famous problem that consisted of "several knots all so tightly entangled that it was impossible to see how they were fastened.” An oracle had been foretold that any man who could unravel the Gordian Knot would become the ruler of Asia. In 333 BC, Alexander the Great was challenged to untie the knot. At first Alexander struggled to untie the complicated knot as everyone in the palace looked on. Supposedly, he eventually realized that the method of untying the knot was inconsequential. At that moment, he stepped back, drew his sword, and cut the knot with one stroke. Alexander shifted his focus from the intricacies of the problem (a complicated knot) to seeking a solution (just cut it) – a powerful psychological shift. Psychologically, when we focus on the problem and all its complicated details, it causes the problem to become more complicated or the knot gets tighter. Conversely, when we focus on finding solutions, our minds tend to see the in-betweens and solutions begin to arise or the knot becomes looser. Thus, focusing on the problem is just the negative way we look at a circumstance while focusing on solutions is the positive way we look at a problem. Author Byron Katie noted, "Everything happens for you, not to you." Embracing this notion, perceiving events as happening "for" us, rather than "to" us, enables us to reclaim our power and our problem-solving ability. When Alexander faced the Gordian Knot, he could have viewed it as a challenge that highlighted his shortcomings. Instead, he chose to see it as an opportunity that would elevate him to greatness. This philosophy also has parallels in martial arts training too. Each challenge in the dojo serves to elevate us. Opportunities like difficult techniques, injuries, or difficult people all contribute to our growth. Thus, when we change our perception, we can begin to see everything as an opportunity “for” us which is leading us to our highest level and that is why the best martial artists don’t see problems.
Today’s goal: “Everything happens for you” and thus, choose to change the way you see your circumstances.
Watch this video to better understand having a solutions based mindset