Warrior Wednesday #5

"Whether it is the bow, or any other weapon, it should only be adjusted to suit your body and be bereft of any sort of decoration.  Even the slightest bit of decadence on your weapon can bring about hesitation and cost you the battle." Tsukahara Bokuden The Hundred Rules of War

Most of us don't concern ourselves with bows or others weapons of war, but I think the quote speaks to each of us.  Let me explain.

There's a school in my area (CESJDS) that my school competes against in athletics.  Now this school is always tough...it seems every sport, every game is a tough, close one.  This school's sports program doesn't appear to have a fancy bone, there's no sense of flair or showy behavior.  You know what they do well...what the excel in?  They are absolute monsters, across the board, at the fundamentals.  The basics of every sport have been near perfected by the varsity level.  That makes you tough to beat.

If you're in business, you know that mastery of the basics help you build success.

The most successful students I've taught haven't been the most gifted, though many of them have been exceptionally bright.  No, the most successful students are the ones who do the basics well.  They attend, participate, and elaborate on concepts.  

Just this morning I sat in my old 3rd Grade classroom; where I was the teacher, not the student.  It brought back memories of students that I taught in that very room who are graduating high school this year.  The strongest students, in 3rd Grade and now in 12th, are the ones who do the little things right.  

Build a strong foundation.  Perfect the basic.

Osu!