“An ant on the move is more powerful than a dozing ox.” – Lao Tzu
Even though we start from humble beginnings, we can rise to lead a extraordinary life. If little practices are repeated consistently over time, we can improve ourselves and advance in capabilities.
We come to the dojo two or three times a week and make tiny advances each night. But the advancements are so small that we do not recognize our progress. We seem to have always been this “sort of good, but not particularly great” in the quality of our skills.
This self doubt can extend all the way up to our Black Belt test. Secretly, silently, we fear we are not worthy of the rank. And then we go out there and do amazing things. We are shocked. Is this the real me? Did I really do that?
We have made steady progress day by day, one tiny step at a time. We are like an ant on the move. Inches ad up to feet and feet become miles, and we are delightfully surprised to find out just how far we have come. Such is the course of countless “not particularly gifted, but firmly determined nonetheless” personal stories in all of our dojos.
Do not be dismayed by others who zoom ahead much faster. I have seen people who are such naturals that I thought they were born to do To-Shin Do get frustrated, thrown off course, and driven to just quit by the tiniest pebble in the road. How tragic and stupid! Be confident in the power of small things done well and repeatedly. Trust me when I say that in time, you will have moved mountains in your personal growth.
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