Published in the International Black Belt Academy newsletter, 12/1
Albert Einstein (1879-1955), one of the most celebrated minds in history said, “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.”
The effort you put into karate–coming to class each week, giving it your all during sparring exercises and working toward your black belt, must be recognized. You must give yourself credit for your continuing efforts. You are doing what many people do not, or cannot do: striving to achieve your goals. Your strong work ethic will result in an improved version of yourself and the world around you.
You are the great spirit that Einstein was talking about. In our lives, we all encounter nay sayers–the people who don’t encourage us, or tell us success cannot be had. They are wrong. Listen only to your heart, and do what you know is right for you.
Oliver Goldsmith, a 1700’s Irish playwright known for his repeated failures, wrote, “Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
Deepak Chopra, world renowned author and philosopher says, “The possibility of stepping into a higher plane is quite real for everyone. It requires no force or effort or sacrifice. It involves little more than changing our ideas about what is normal.”
Author of “Brave New World”, published in 1932, Aldous Huxley was highly respected for his philosophy on life. He wrote, “Every ceiling, when reached, becomes a floor, upon which one walks as a matter of course and prescriptive right.”
Your strength and tenacity, proven by your consistency in your karate lessons, are allowing you to rise to a higher level of existence. Each time you come to class, each time you try harder, each time you earn a new belt, you have climbed to that ceiling and walked over it, opening a view of a new world of possibilities.
If you relate to these quotes and ideas from some of the best known and highly respected philosophers in history, it is because great minds–like the great spirits Einstein spoke of–think alike.
