I just wrote an article on discipline in the martial arts, and there are several things to be understood about this. Unfortunately, the article was sort of dry, it happens some times, can’t hit a home run every time, but, heck, I can just blog and fix my thoughts that way, right?
So, there is self discipline, and there is no other kind of discipline. If somebody is forcing discipline on you, yes, there may be a dictionary word or meaning relating to that, but the fact is discipline is something that you make for yourself. Nobody else can make it for you.
Guy beats you to make you have better handwriting, that’s not discipline, that is threat and violence.
True discipline has to do with you ordering yourself, taking control of yourself, and there is no other kind.
the other kind, you see, doesn’t last, has adverse effects. Eventually you’ll hate playing the piano. And you might even beat up the piano teacher.
Reminds me of the hilarious story of the school teacher, back about a 125 years ago, wild west times. He was mean to his students, then he quit and left, and then, years later, he came back. They strung him up. All his students were grown men, saw that he wasn’t very nice, that you don’t treat kids that way, so they hung him.
Now, is that a lesson or what? I mean, hanging the darned school teacher! I guess he won’t give out no more Fs. Eh?
Ha!
Anyway, the martial arts are incredibly perfect for giving discipline. People love to do them, they force themselves to do them, they see worth, they get things out of, and the whole thing is the best way of making oneself firmer, straighter, able to study harder, able to feet to where one is going, and so on.
So, the next time you think about putting your little Johnny into a karate class, just so the instructor will give him a little discipline…it’s you that needs the discipline.
Force is not discipline it is punishment, unless the student decides to do it for himself. And I guess that’s what Ir early wanted to say about martial arts discipline. And if you agree, or at least think the matter is worth a little more consideration, check out the free books page in the menu above. It’s a kick, and you can even get a martial arts course for half price. Now that’s a deal!
