Thoughts about a personal Aikido rut
I am going to start off with a small test. You are given two choices:
(A) Have $1 million deposited immediately in your bank account
(B) Have $.01 deposited in your account and have its value doubled every day for 30 days. So, on the second day you have $.02, on the third you have $.04, and so forth.
The answers are at the end. No peeking. What does this test have to do with aikido? Everything!
Aikido is not an instant gratification martial art. Sure, you can purchase highly detailed books and videos, but where does that get you? If you don”t have a teacher, they either sit in a box or maybe in a book case. I suspect that every one of us has looked at our early rolling, technique, and learning thought process comparing it to more recent work. The quality of the early work is not up to par with what we can do now. This is the compound effect in action.
The compound effect is the act of doing a little something over again and again until there is a noticeable change in results. This would be considered different from the definition of crazy, doing the exact same thing over and over hoping for a different result. We become better aikidoka over time simply by training. The repetition of doing the little things helps us improve. There is no instant gratification with that. As a result, over time we are able to build our aikido a little faster, neater, and with more accuracy. We will become a master at the craft. This is why the “sledge hammer training” concept is so valuable. Start with a small project so that you are not overwhelmed. Expect to tear it apart, replace part or all of it, and do casino online it again. Each time the movement will be a little better. Eventually you will have a technique that you like. This is the compound effect at work. As your skills improve, so will your aikido, along with your confidence and sense of accomplishment. Maybe you are an experienced aikidoka but are in a rut with your training. Maybe you have strayed from what you originally envisioned. Maybe it”s time to start over on a portion or the whole idea of your training. Use the sledge hammer concept along with the understanding of the compound effect. They can lead you to the aikido you want. What is important is that we continue to grow in our skills and abilities. Don”t settle for mediocrity. Use the sledge hammer and start over, or rebuild. Remember to have fun with your Aikido, and it”s hard to have fun with something that doesn”t make you happy.
What is the answer to the test? If you take the $1 million, at the end of 30 days you still have $1 million, assuming you didn”t spend any of it. This would be that Instant gratification that so many look for in the beginning. If you took the second choice, you have $5,368,709.00. Not instant gratification, but with the compound effect you have a whole lot more. Which choice are you going to make?
Sensei Mike Swederska
Leave a Comment