身から出た錆び
Mi kara deta sabi
To remove the rust from one’s sword
Martial arts training is the process of perfecting oneself. It’s no secret that success or achievement in any endeavor is a function of putting in the work. Basketball legend, Jerry West said, “You can't get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good.” Understanding West’s assertion, the real secret is to put in the work on the days when we don’t want to. Being constant and consistent in whatever it is we do is necessary, but the days or times when we don’t want to actually count way more. Furuya Sensei said, “The sword is a tool of truth.” It is the tool of truth because once we use it, it reveals the truth of who we are, but for that to happen, we must first pick it up. With that being said, anything can be a tool of truth. Getting out of bed to workout, going to practice, eating a salad, not eating a donut or going to the dojo can all be tools of truth because whether we do so or not reveals our true character. It’s easy to do something when we feel good, but it takes infinitely more fortitude to do so on the days when we don’t feel like it or even feel bad and that’s when it becomes the tool of truth. A real warrior knows that true success is not in winning or losing but in having the ability to show up. There are many that feign success when the weather’s nice but only true few can show up on the rainy days when they don’t want to. Like with every swing of the sword, every time we get out of bed or go to the dojo, we are in the process of removing the rust from ourselves and in doing so we are removing our imperfections which O’sensei referred to as masakatsu agatsu or a “victory over ourselves.” Success only comes as a result of putting in the work, but the real perfection happens when we overcome ourselves.
Today’s goal: Do what you don’t want to do. Get out of bed, workout, only eat half or whatever else it is that you know you have to do, but don’t want to do.