It seems pride in doing your best is seldom found in workmanship or training today. Many people just do what is required and nothing else. “I just work here,” is a common saying among workers and others today. There is little concern about doing a good job. People just work to get a check.
There was a time when workers did their best regardless of what they were working on or who they were working for. This was called craftsmanship. It served a couple of purposes.
One, it brought pride to the workers. Two, good quality work allowed them to charge more for their products. An additional benefit to pride in their work came in building a great reputation for quality work. This, of course, would lead to more work and more income.
How does pride in doing your best apply to martial arts? Consider what you have to do in martial arts training. Practice. Over and over again, practice. There will be times you don’t want to do the same thing over and over again, even though it’s necessary to fully learn your craft.
Pride in doing your best has to do with your attitude that you bring to your training. Approach your training as the most important thing in your world at that time. The point is to do your best. Bring all you have to all your training. This is craftsmanship.
You aren’t required to be the best, just to do your personal best. To take pride in doing your best means not letting yourself down. You must take ownership in what you do. Learn to enjoy showing others how you take pride in what you do.
Will you make mistakes? Sure you will. Take ownership of your mistakes, just as you take pride in your accomplishments. Making mistakes means you’re learning. Learning means you are improving.
You may also have a positive effect on others. Hard work and pride in doing your best can be contagious. Be an example to others of how to do your best regardless of how tedious the work may be.
Build a reputation for being a hard worker. No matter what your place in the program, show others your willingness to do the work required to be the best, even if you know you won’t be. Even if you don’t intend to make martial arts your career, work as if you do.
Find meaning in your training. This will push you to work harder. Remember everything you do has your name on it. Maybe not physically, but people are watching. Your sensei, the other students, and your friends. What you do or don’t do will be remembered. Do it all well. Take pride in doing your best.
For help in learning to do your best, Shifu Raymond Ahles at Blue Dragon School of Martial Arts is ready and able to help you in learning self-discipline and any other skills you want in martial arts. He will monitor your training and sparring and make suggestions when he sees some area in which you may be lacking. Contact him at 201-385-3130 today and get started or started again!
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