You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

A couple of weeks ago I was volunteered for a job that I was completely unqualified for. Instead of backing out, I decided to rise to the challenge, to say “I’ll try” instead of “I can’t”. The result has been that I’ve been able to learn more in two weeks than I had in the two years beforehand. This got me to thinking about how Shihan always advocates “life-long learning”. Not only in your chosen art at the dojo, but outside of it as well. He encourages taking non-martial arts related classes in addition to your training. The more you keep your brain engaged in learning, the more you learn. Take guitar lessons, learn to dance, try an art class. You don’t have to become great at anything, the process itself is what counts. Just like inside the dojo, you might be surprised at what you can do outside of it if you only try.

Gina Ethridge