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THINGS
TO REMEMBER
Food
for thought
Over
the past 30 years I have attended a wide variety of
seminars and read a tremendous amount not only on the
physical and technical aspects of the art of Shotokan
karate and other associated martial arts, but also on the
mental and spiritual side of these arts as well.
As
a result "Things To
Remember" is a collections of
saying, ideas, and thoughts that I have accumulated over
time and that I consider to be note worthy for one reason
or another. I also try to make it a personal habit to re-read
this list on a regular basis in order that I might
remember to try and practice their underlying principles
not only in my karate and kobudo training, but in my
daily life as well.
I
learnt long ago that no matter who a person is there is
always some room for self improvement - the trick
however, is for each of us to recognize this fact within
ourselves and in turn to try and do something positive
about it.
Now
some of the sayings and thoughts that are recorded here
are my own - others I can not and do not take credit for
- they simply came my way. I have made no distinction as
to which is which because that is not really important -
what is important, however it that no matter who says it,
a thought, any thought, should never be dismissed lightly
for more often than not there is a great deal more to
what is being said than originally meets the eye.
In
any event it is my hope that contained here you will find
something that may inspire you, something that will make
you think about how fortunate you are, something that
will make you think about what is truly important in your
life, or perhaps something that will simply make you look
at the world around you from a slightly different point
of view, and in doing so make you a better person for it.
So
"walk around the building" and take the time to
look at your karate training, your life, your family, and
your friends from a new perspective, since as with all
things, "clarity comes from having more than a one
dimensional outlook".
These
500 sayings
and thoughts are in no particular order of importance,
and in most cases they should be looked upon as
individual concepts, although from time to time you will
notice that several sayings in a row will definitely
focus on the same theme.
-
Timing
is everything.
Start
as you mean to continue.
The end
of everything is important.
Seven
times down, eight times up.
Your
dedication to the art of karate is visible in the
quality of your techniques.
The
objective of karate is to contribute to the
evolution of the human spirit through physical
and mental training.
Always
train as if today is your last day in the dojo,
one day it will be.
The ten
most powerful two letter words in the English
language are: "if it is to be it is up to me".
The
most precious thing you can give to anyone is
your time.
Teach
less so the student can learn more.
Life is
a kata that you can not start over.
To bow
well physically, you must first learn to bow well
in your mind.
If you
give less than your best, you are only cheating
yourself.
Quality
is better than quantity.
You
must "be" before you can "do".
Kata is
the "soul" of karate.
Bunkai
is the "soul" of kata.
A kata
in it's self is great teacher.
Onegishimasu.
Domo
arigatou gozaimasu.
You can
not learn what you do not practice.
You can
not teach what you do not learn.
Spirit
is often the deciding factor.
Do
everything with sincerity.
Mental
efficiency depends on spiritual harmony.
It is
not what you teach, but how you teach it, that is
important.
Check
your ego at the door.
If you
do not trust your children it is your own fault.
In
order to learn you must first be a willing
participant.
Always
be on time.
Look to
the needs of others.
One
person can make a difference.
The
greatest rewards are often the hardest to see.
Without
a student there is no need of a sensei.
Never
assume.
Proper
repetition teaches confidence.
All
growth is from within.
All
power is from within.
Striving
and struggle, precede success, even in the
dictionary.
Your
karate must be done from the inside out, not the
outside in.
Your
karate must be done from the ground up, not the
top down.
Your
reality today is the result of the planning, and
the effort, you put into your yesterday.
Your
reality tomorrow will be the result of what you
plan, and do, today.
To know
what something is worth, you must first pay the
price.
You are
not finished when you are defeated, you are
finished when you quit.
When
you breath out that is your doing, when you
breath in that is God's doing.
Dreams
never die, just the dreamer.
A
thought remains a thought, until it is given form
through action.
Action
often takes form without thought.
Nothing
of value is ever created in a hurry.
Perfection
depend entirely on unconscious thought.
Knowing
what is right is not difficult, doing what is
right often is.
Women
are stronger than men.
Pain is
inevitable, suffering is optional.
Nobody
can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Knowledge
comes to those who seek it.
Everyone
fears something.
Truth
comes to those who understand what they have
found.
You can
not learn everything, so be selective.
True
reward is never anticipated.
Do the
most natural thing in the most natural way.
Everything
you accomplish depends on your own efforts.
Seek an
appropriate teacher, and train hard.
Always
learn from someone who is still learning.
No one
knows it all.
If you
met someone who thinks they knows it all, walk
away.
A wish
is simply a desire without any effort behind it.
A dream
is a wish with a goal, a plan, and a timetable.
Face
your fears.
Nothing
that happens to you in your lifetime is an
accident.
No
action is singular.
No
reaction is singular.
Health
is a state of mind that is visible in your
appearance, and in your actions.
Never
settle for someone else's idea of what is best
for you.
The
greatest power that you possess, is the power to
choose.
Think
carefully.
Choose
wisely.
You
alone are responsible for all your actions.
You can
not be wise before your time.
Wanting
something is often more enjoyable than having it.
Look at
the impossible and then change what you believe.
Never
take hope away from anyone, it may be all they
have left.
Know
your limits, and develop your capabilities.
You
have no control over your destiny, it sometimes
just seems that way.
Mental
development does not require physical development.
Physical
development requires the highest mental
development.
To be a
good teacher you must first be a good student.
When
opportunity knocks answer the door.
The
link between all things is proper breathing.
All
balance must come from the centre.
Poor
posture equates to poor everything else.
You
never get a second chance to make a good first
impression.
The
road to perfection can not be travelled in one
life time.
Practice
does not make perfect, perfect practice makes
perfect.
The
best way a student can repay their teacher is to
surpass them.
To
train karate successfully in the dojo, you must
first have a dojo mind.
In
order to see, you must first know what you are
looking for.
Seeing
and understanding are not the same thing.
Not
winning is not the same as loosing.
Give
and forget.
Receive
and remember.
Don't
undermine your worth by comparing yourself with
others.
Know
what is best for you.
Never
give up when you still have something to give.
Walk
like you know where you are going.
Every
human being has the capacity to heal.
You
need water to develop energy.
Positive
energy has no limits.
A
prayer knows no boundaries.
Eternity
is unaffected by time.
Inspire
others whenever you can.
No
matter where you are, you are never alone.
In the
mind all is possible, there are no barriers.
Instead
of finding an excuse to quit, find a reason to
continue.
If you
train your body your spirit will also be trained.
Your
kime is only effective when nothing else matters.
Always
be relaxed in your body and your mind, rigidity
is the mark of death.
You can
never walk more than one path at a time.
The
only constant in life is change.
Help
when help is needed.
A
clouded mind can never see clearly.
There
are more than two sides to every story.
There
is no substitute for a kind word.
The
truth is often easier to speak, than it is to
prove.
To be a
good teacher you must first understand what the
student needs.
No one
is ever to young or to old to learn.
Success
is measured differently for everyone.
Be
honest.
Respect
others.
Do more
than is expected.
Set
goals.
Control
your emotions.
What is
the sound of one hand clapping.
Never
under estimate a child's ability to act like an
adult.
Wisdom
can not be bought.
The
secret to success lies not in the trying, but in
the doing.
Do not
train when you are tired, you will only practice
bad habits.
Without
a proper stance nothing else is possible.
Always
say please.
Always
say thank you.
Seek
perfection of character.
Fill
the void.
Doing
nothing is often worse than failure.
If you
look for the best in others, you will find the
best in yourself.
A good
leader is a dealer in hope.
People
may forget what you say, but they will always
remember how you made them feel.
Pain
isn't always physical.
Some
questions have no answers.
True
strength comes from gentleness.
Know
something about all professions.
Be
faithful.
Do not
offend.
Everyday
it rains on someone's parade.
You
must see with your mind not just with your eyes.
Knowing
you are wrong is the first step towards learning.
Admitting
you are wrong is the first step towards
understanding.
Without
fear anything is possible.
Endeavour.
Nothing
is over until the moment you stop trying.
Share.
Knowing
the moves of the kata is not enough.
You can
emulate someone else's technique, but never try
and copy it.
Wanting
something, and being entitled to it, are two
different things.
Disbelief
does not make something impossible.
Before
starting anything you must first empty your cup.
To
teach others successfully is the highest skill.
When
teaching anything words are often not enough.
Doing
is the best way to learn anything.
You
must know yourself before you can try and
understand others.
Never
interrupt your enemy while he is making a mistake.
Illusion
is nothing more than hidden reality.
Nothing
lasts forever.
Give
people more than they expect.
You can
not teach what you do not know.
You
must correct your own mistakes before you can
correct the mistakes made by others.
Finish
what you start.
Start
as you mean to continue.
Never
settle for just doing better than somebody else's
worst.
Do not
believe everything you hear.
Do not
believe everything you read.
Do not
believe everything you see.
Deceit
often comes disguised as honesty.
To be
successful in life you must first have a teacher.
There
is no substitute for effort.
To
succeed in life you must first want to.
Helping
someone else up the hill also gets you closer to
the top.
Always
tell the truth.
Never
strike in anger.
Respect
others.
Love
someone unconditionally until the day you die.
Plan
your life and work daily on your plan.
Successful
people are persistent.
Thought
is parent to the deed.
Have
patience and engage in consistent action.
It is
better to be prepared for an opportunity and not
have one appear, than to have an opportunity
appear and not be prepared.
Temporary
failure is a price you must pay on the road to
ultimate success.
Say
only what needs to be said.
Temptation
resisted is a true sign of character.
The
dojo is not a university, to obtain the true
benefits of karate you must train until you die.
Karate
is 90% mental and 10% physical.
Mo ichi
do.
Gambate.
Karate-do
is not just for the dojo, it must become your way
of life.
No
action once taken can ever be undone.
Never
mess up an apology with an excuse.
When
you lose don't lose the lesson.
Time is
a great teacher.
To
practice a technique you must first know what it
is for.
To
perfect a technique you must first forget what it
is for.
Listening
is an art best practiced in silence
Success
is minimizing the gap between your performance
and your potential.
In life
the reward earned, is equal to the effort spent.
Do you
see the colour of the wind.
Victory
lies in action without thought.
You can
not hit what you can not see.
The
first technique must be the last.
Good
results are the result of proper thought.
Nothing
in life is as it seems.
Keep
your promises.
Believe
in yourself.
Go some
place you have never been before.
Success
is a state of mind.
Be good
to your friends
Honour
your parents
Crying
is not a sign of weakness.
Admit
your mistakes.
Always
apologize, it is the right thing to do.
Balance
in anything can only be achieved when the scales
are even.
What
the mind fears the spirit can overcome.
Never
stop learning, learn from everyone, and from
everything.
No
trial, no error, no knowledge.
To be a
success you must first take a risk.
Never
risk more than you are willing to lose.
Give
your children everything they need to succeed,
for they are the future.
If it
doesn't work, stop doing it.
Your
subconscious never sleeps.
Listen
to your instincts.
Share
your knowledge, it is a way to achieve
immortality.
Refrain
from violent behaviour.
The
faster you go, the more mistakes you will make.
Health
span is more important than life span.
It is
not what you eat that makes you healthy, it is
what you digest.
It is
not what you earn that makes you wealthy, it is
what you save.
It is
not what you learn that makes you wise, it is
what you remember.
It is
not what you know that makes you smart, it is
what you teach.
It is
not how often you train that makes you better, it
is how well you train.
Visualization
must be the first phase of any action.
Turning
on a light does not always mean you will see more.
Your
hips are the steering wheel of your body.
Power
is generated in the legs.
The
first stage of learning requires conscious
thought and will power.
The
second stage of learning is concentrated effort
and technique, without conscious thought.
Love is
a language the deaf can hear and the blind can
see.
Children
learn without prejudices, until they are taught
otherwise.
Try to
see everything with the eyes of a child.
Do
everything to the best of your ability.
Never
forget what it was like to be a beginner.
Your
ability changes with time so learn to adjust.
Accept
the fact that you are growing old, but never stop
doing what interests you.
Everyday
that you do not practice karate, decreases your
mental and physical inventory.
Believing
and trusting are not the same thing.
It only
takes one eye to see.
Don't
carry a grudge, it is far to heavy a burden.
There
is only one degree of difference between
mediocrity and greatness.
If a
strong technique fights a strong body, technique
wins.
If a
strong technique fights a strong mind, the mind
wins.
If
technique, body, and mind are equal, spirit will
determine the outcome.
The
energy of your past thoughts has fashioned your
reality.
To
change your reality, change what, and how you
think.
Do you
see what you see.
Be a
reader.
Do not
suppress your emotions, or they will make you ill.
Courage
is simply the willingness to be afraid, and to
act anyway.
When
the student needs a teacher one will appear.
The
hardest thing to do is to forgive.
Never
act and then think.
Think
before you speak.
Silence
is sometimes the best answer.
Learn
from the mistakes of others, because you will
never live long enough to make them all yourself.
Worship
the teachings, not the teacher.
Where
ever you are there is a place to train karate.
Criticizing
others only defeats you.
You
will never have more than you think you are worth.
It is
not a sin to want more.
Happiness
is wanting what you have.
You
must be responsible for everything you do, never
blame others.
All
great leaders were great readers.
Even if
you don't understand it, every living thing on
earth has a function.
Extinction
is permanent.
Does a
dog have Buddha nature.
First
thing in the morning start the day with a
positive thought, it will effect your energy all
day long.
Negative
thoughts are out of step with nature, avoid them.
We give
priority to the outside world, but the real world
is inside of you.
You
have a sound inside you just like a bell.
No
matter how a bell is hit a sound is made.
It is
not what hits the bell that makes the sound, the
bell makes the sound.
How
things hit you every day get a reaction, or a
sound from you, learn to control the sound.
What
was your face before your mother was born.
It is
far easier to stay down than it is to get up.
Somewhere
the sun is always shining.
Successful
people have fallen down often, they just never
stayed there.
The
closest distance between two people is a smile.
Nothing
on the outside changes, if life looks different
to you for any reason, it is because you have
changed.
The
energy you radiate outward, be it positive or
negative, is what you will get back from the
universe.
Children
are the soul of the world.
Babies
have no filters they see the world as it is.
If you
are very ill laugh as often as you can.
Do a
kindness for a stranger everyday.
It is
hard for a poor man to be generous.
It is
hard for a proud man to be humble.
It is
hard to accept the truth.
It is
hard not to be disturbed by external
circumstances.
It is
hard not to argue about what is right or wrong.
It is
hard to be human.
What
you believe you see.
If your
vision is clouded change your beliefs.
If you
loose your wealth, nothing is lost.
If your
loose your health, something is lost.
If you
loose your honour, everything is lost.
To be
sick is not natural, your health is a direct
result of your lifestyle.
Life is
difficult and discipline is the tool you use to
make life easier.
To
master one's self requires great strength.
Anger
is only one letter away from danger.
In kata
it is the body that must remind the mind, not the
other way around.
Enjoy
the silence between your thoughts.
Meditate
every day.
Write
down your thoughts so others can follow your path.
It
should be hard to choose sides on a round planet.
The
mind is the greatest power, while you are
meditating nothing can touch you.
If
someone betrays you once it is their fault, if
they betray you twice it is your fault.
Never
look to the ground for your next step, greatness
follows those that look to the horizon.
If you
can eliminate your fear of things you will have
no stress in your life.
What a
mirror receives it gives back.
There
is an inter-relationship between all things in
life, so if you kill anything you kill a part of
yourself.
Try to
see the world with a spiritual eye, you will see
more clearly.
There
is no such thing as empty.
Respect
all religions.
Try to
fill your voids with love and compassion.
Do
everything to it's fullest because there is no
tomorrow, tomorrow never comes, there is only now.
Everything
in life is negotiable, the question is how much
are you willing to pay to have what you want.
Smile,
it is a universal language.
Every
cell in your body has a memory.
You
must feel positive in order to grow in a positive
manner.
Live
without regret.
The
value of anything must always be greater than the
price you paid.
You can
not control everything outside of you, that is
life.
You can
control everything inside you, that is yourself.
Not
getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful
stroke of luck.
Mistakes
can often be the best teacher.
Clarity
comes from having more than a one dimensional
outlook.
Losers
live for yesterday, dreamers live for tomorrow,
winners live for every "now".
We do
not all share the same reality.
We
interpret the world we live in based on our own
personal experiences to date.
We can
walk together, but we can not walk in each others
foot steps.
You are
bound by your habits.
You are
a product of your environment.
You are
the product of the strength of your beliefs.
You are
a soul with a body, not a body with a soul.
A flame
burns brightest at the end, just before it's life
goes out.
There
is no evidence of time.
Time is
a creation of man for the purpose of controlling
others.
All the
money in the world will not buy you one more day,
one more minute, or one more second when death
comes.
Work to
live, do not live to work.
Ichi Go
- one life only
Ichi Eh
- live each "second" each "now"
Be the
best you can be at what ever you do.
Change
is constant, illusion is believing that nothing
changes
Happiness
is an internal responsibility, it is up to you
Life is
a learning experience.
Second
chances are rare.
Never
under estimate yourself, leave that mistake to
others.
Put
down unnecessary burdens.
Never
mistake inaction for indecision.
Be kind.
What
goes around come around.
Everything
starts with a subconscious thought.
Reality
is the conscious mind in action.
Every
problem has a solution.
You
have the power to create your own reality, the
difficulty lies in believing it.
Opportunities
are never lost, they are simply picked up by
someone else.
Learn
from nature.
Try to
be the person your dog thinks you are.
Do not
depend on external things, only depend on
yourself.
You
must get peace of mind from inside yourself, no
one can give it to you, and once you have it no
one can take it away.
The
most important fight is the one against yourself.
There
are no short cuts to success.
Learn
to control your ego.
How
smart you think you are, may not be shared by
everyone.
Tomorrow
is promised to no one, so make the most of your
today.
Everything
sleeps.
Everything
dies.
A
closed mind never learns.
Even
the mountains lay down eventually.
Be sure
at all times that your mind knows what your body
is saying.
The
difference between good karate and poor karate is
the quality of your thoughts.
You are
unique.
Think
reacting.
Make
good use of your time.
Ability
is what you are capable of.
Motivation
determines what you do.
Attitude
determines how well you do it.
Wisdom
and knowledge only flower when they are shared.
Praise
before you criticize.
Pay
attention to small details.
Kata is
not a race, slow down and you will learn more
quickly.
Never
try to teach more than you know.
Reward
dedication.
You can
never go back in time.
Spirit
is more important than technique.
No two
dojos are ever the same, so appreciate what you
have, while you have it.
Teaching
is a privilege, don't abuse it.
Karate
begins and ends with courtesy.
Karate
ni sente nashi.
"I
will not give a certificate of rank, it must be
earned". (Gichin Funakoshi Sensei)
Learning
to hammer in a nail, does not mean you are a
carpenter.
Knowing
the answer, does not necessarily mean you
understood the question.
Open
your mind, it determines what you will learn.
Always
train the fundamentals hard and you will find
your own karate.
The
nail that sticks up is always hammered down.
High
repetition is only beneficial if the technique
you are repeating is correct.
Shotokan
is hard to do well.
Kime is
not just power or spirit, kime means "balance"
- complete harmony in everything.
Be grateful for
your mistakes for they show you your weakness.
To succeed at
anything you must first be devoted to a positive
outcome.
The hardest
part of karate or life for that matter, is self
correcting.
Just because
you think you are right, does not make you so.
The height of
your kick is not as important as the result of
your kick.
The path least
travelled is often the most interesting.
Never do
anything you know you will regret.
Karate is not
for everyone, if you are unsuccessful at it look
to other things.
If you intend
to quit before the end, don't start.
Appreciate your
friends, they are there by choice.
Understand that
what is important to others, need not always be
important to you.
Choice can be a
burden not easily put down.
Karate is like
a book, one letter, one word, one sentence at a
time.
Friends are the
family we picked for ourselves.
Learn from your
children.
Respect should
never be given where it has never been earned.
A smile can
often hide the truth.
Being good at
anything usually involves a level of voluntary
suffering.
If you feel
pain, it is a physical confirmation that you are
still living.
When you feel
nothing, that is the time to be concerned.
A separation of
any kind is proof of failure.
To fail often
in life is inevitable, accept this early, and
move on.
Never be afraid
to ask a question.
Do not
always believe the answer.
Show
leadership, to many people are followers.
Show
wisdom, it is in short supply.
Show
encouragement, if you do people will strive for
more.
Show
kindness, it is often misplaced.
Free
advice is often overpriced.
Whether
you think you can, or you think you can't, you
are right.
You are
precisely where you are meant to be, each second
of the day.
Sometimes
your best is simply not good enough.
Words
are like weapons, they wound sometimes.
Age
does not breed wisdom.
When
ever you teach someone something, do it with
passion.
Good
teachers are hard to find.
Not all
roads are going your way.
Breath.
The
direction of your life depends on who is driving.
Laughter
is universal.
Laziness
is the habit of resting before you are tired.
I takes
thirty days to build a habit.
I takes
thirty days to break a habit.
Respect
must be earned, you can not demand it.
Remember
your ancestors.
Always
teach for the love of the art.
Associate
with good people.
There
is more to life than having everything.
A weak
will can not resist temptation.
Learning
requires effort.
All is
related, if one part of the circle is missing
nothing can happen.
Their
history dies with person.
It is
always hard to accept that others don't care.
When
two emotions clash, the strongest emotion wins.
You are
not born with bad habits.
Practice
humility.
Do not
live you life based on what others deem important.
What
you see in a mirror can be changed.
Spend
your time wisely, don't waste it.
Family
first.
Life is
not a race.
Your
kata changes with each day, some days are better
than others.
Imperfections
have a way of creeping into our everything we do,
so be vigilant.
Doing
something is only a good idea if your mind and
spirit are completely involved.
Technique
is either effective, or it is not.
The
deepest purpose of martial arts is to serve as a
vehicle for personal and spiritual development.
The
ultimate aim of Zen is to free the individual
from anger, illusion, and false passion.
The
duty of a warrior is the preservation of peace
without force.
We
all see the world differently.
A
lie always grows.
Your
honour should never be for sale.
The
worst thing you can do is over estimate yourself.
Lead
from the front.
You
must see the picture before you paint it.
How
will people speak of you when you are gone.
What
works for others may not work for you.
Be
better than you thought you could be.
You
can not change your fate, what ever you do, what
ever happens in your life, was meant to be.
-
- Part
the clouds - see the way
-
- "The
objective of karate is to contribute to the evolution
- of
the human spirit through physical and mental training."
- Sensei
Peter Lindsay
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