Ten months ago I began a journey of practicing mindfulness every day and we've reached day 332. Yesterday, I talked about how it's better to prepare in advance. Today is a new day.
I've always been a pretty lucky person. I've done a lot of dumb and reckless things yet always manage to come home alright. Once in a blue moon I get into accidents (like getting hit by a speeding car while riding my bike or almost having my left foot cut off TWICE) but what should have ended in disaster ends up with me getting by without too much trouble. Because I'd get lucky so much, I'd usually be really relaxed about everything and think things would always work themselves out. I figured, "I'll be fine" and wouldn't really plan anything or put all of my effort into anything. I ended up never being particularly good at anything and was an average student because I never really applied myself.
As a child piano used to come really easily to me, but as I got into higher difficulty levels I realized that it became a lot harder to learn and really master new songs. I could memorize the notes but I couldn't really master the songs. I couldn't just rely on luck to play anymore. I had to work for it and develop my technique if I wanted to play anything well. That challenge really interested me and made me appreciate music on a deeper level than only listening to it. As I started to love music more the more of my life it's consumed. To me being a pianist meant making piano a big part of my life and doing so made me a better player. Weightlifting and martial arts are the same way - they're more than just something I do, they're a part of who I am.
The takeaway here is mastery. We can't just coast through our lives and expect everything to work out alright without working for it. We might get lucky here and there, but luck has its limits and if you're not careful you'll get hurt (I have enough scars that I think I've learned my lesson). True mastery is a grind, but over time it becomes a lifestyle. Bruce Lee said to "be like water". Our actions define who we are, so in order to be something, you must make it a part of you. Like water, take its form and embody it. In the same way the swordsman treats their blade as a natural extension of themselves, so must we in whatever we do.
In other words, putting ourselves into whatever we do. This is the 'soul' in SOUL music. Hard work is giving it your all and immersing yourself in whatever you do. In learning how to truly embody your work you slowly gain mastery. It's about making it a part of your life. That's what a lifestyle is. That's something coasting through life and waiting for things to work themselves out can never do.
Peace
"The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work." - Harry GoldenLiving in Japan and being a teacher has shown me how hard some people work in order to achieve something. It's not uncommon for someone to work a full-time job, raise kids, and do extra-curricular activities like taking English or music lessons. Japan values self-improvement and from a young age they dedicate a lot of time in order to work toward something. Even most elderly people do things to keep their body and mind active. It's really inspirational and makes me want to keep working on myself as well.
I've always been a pretty lucky person. I've done a lot of dumb and reckless things yet always manage to come home alright. Once in a blue moon I get into accidents (like getting hit by a speeding car while riding my bike or almost having my left foot cut off TWICE) but what should have ended in disaster ends up with me getting by without too much trouble. Because I'd get lucky so much, I'd usually be really relaxed about everything and think things would always work themselves out. I figured, "I'll be fine" and wouldn't really plan anything or put all of my effort into anything. I ended up never being particularly good at anything and was an average student because I never really applied myself.
As a child piano used to come really easily to me, but as I got into higher difficulty levels I realized that it became a lot harder to learn and really master new songs. I could memorize the notes but I couldn't really master the songs. I couldn't just rely on luck to play anymore. I had to work for it and develop my technique if I wanted to play anything well. That challenge really interested me and made me appreciate music on a deeper level than only listening to it. As I started to love music more the more of my life it's consumed. To me being a pianist meant making piano a big part of my life and doing so made me a better player. Weightlifting and martial arts are the same way - they're more than just something I do, they're a part of who I am.
The takeaway here is mastery. We can't just coast through our lives and expect everything to work out alright without working for it. We might get lucky here and there, but luck has its limits and if you're not careful you'll get hurt (I have enough scars that I think I've learned my lesson). True mastery is a grind, but over time it becomes a lifestyle. Bruce Lee said to "be like water". Our actions define who we are, so in order to be something, you must make it a part of you. Like water, take its form and embody it. In the same way the swordsman treats their blade as a natural extension of themselves, so must we in whatever we do.
In other words, putting ourselves into whatever we do. This is the 'soul' in SOUL music. Hard work is giving it your all and immersing yourself in whatever you do. In learning how to truly embody your work you slowly gain mastery. It's about making it a part of your life. That's what a lifestyle is. That's something coasting through life and waiting for things to work themselves out can never do.
Embody who you want to become.
Peace
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| Whatever your passions are, make them a part of you and see how high you start to soar. |
What are you trying to embody? Leave a comment down below!
ReplyDeleteHave a great day~