During my years as a practicing martial artist, I have experienced several saboteurs of growth. One essential turns out to be our own ego. We tend to be easily blinded by our own lies and excuses, and we frequently choose to live in denial by never questioning the established «truth».
If instead we choose to be honest to ourselves as we study and train hard, our discoveries will uncover all myths and fantasies, and this doesn’t apply only to the martial arts world. I also believe this applies to most aspects in life, where expectations lead us to crave for results, statuses, prizes, possessions, certificates or diplomas to decorate our walls with.
Status and facade will never truly make us happy, nor will it make us grow as human beings. A diploma hanging on the wall will never save us in a real- life situation. It will lead to addiction which consumes our true self by clogging our mind’s vision and ability to truly discover new possibilities beyond our already limited and sometimes bigoted views. Who will listen to others if they already proved to be grand champions? Or black grade masters? Or are the most experienced in their profession? Or have all the possessions they need, or even don’t need?
What is the true purpose of likes in Facebook? To recieve attention and recognition, or to post honestly?
This probably reveals my personal view on journalists and politicians true agenda these days. It is all about addiction to votes, recognition and attention.
Back in april this year I wrote and published my second post ever, found in this blog. I must admit my excitement of discovering over 41 323 views in one day. I never imagined this level of attention. I didn’t even intend to publish the article, but as my colleague convinced me, I did. Needless to say, I liked the attention the post got and eagerly followed the ego- feeding statistics, likes, and comments. It is a sickness.
The result? I stopped publishing. This post was originally drafted back in late april and together with 7 other drafts, it remained unpublished. Until now. If not aware, false recognition will kill passion and replace it with addiction.
In everything we do, we should do it with true passion or stop doing it. Our own hearts, together with the special person(s) living inside of it, should be the true givers of our needed recognition. The heart and mind are great advisors to each other. Whenever my mind is stuck, it asks my heart for advice. But naturally the heart behaves like a fierce bully who makes up its own path without analyzing its solution. That is why our mind needs to be the guardian of our heart, to treasure it, use it and support it by all means.
Our ego is our own limitation!
The following poem was drafted 3 years ago, inspired after a visit to São Luís in Brazil for training and teaching with my friend Justo Dieguez, the founder of Keysi Fighting Method. In Scandinavia the chances are small of suffering lethal consequences by our own ego. In the streets of Brazil on the other hand, ego would surely mean certain death.
Death should not be the most feared consequence though. Rather fear being a slave to your own ego, never to actually live by who you are, who you can be or to see the world for what it truly is.
Beware the ego!
Ego is commonly mistaken for confidence
One should be wise to study the difference
Open your mind to reveal what you’ve seeded
Discover the truth, and you won’t be misleaded
While ego is false and full of addiction
Confidence is honest to your true definition
Your spirit will glow
In cultivation of confidence
This process is slow
But well worth the consequence
When ego grows big, be aware
Your own destruction you might be near
With no respect for your friend called Fear
The frightening Death might early appear
Important to question, is your character strong?
If ego’s in charge, your answer is wrong
With no need to prove, for fame nor for glory
True to yourself, your life’s a grand story
© 2016 – exulto.no
By exulto