“Lose Weight Instantly! Get Yours Today! Available Now!”
Everywhere we look we can see the merits of the immediate proclaimed loudly and proudly. Instant gratification is the name of the game and the game is widespread.
All this despite the fact that we intuitively know the merits of that which is gained gradually through dint of sustained effort over time.
The Stanford Marshmallow experiments of the ‘70s have shown us that one of the greatest indicators of success in life is the ability to delay gratification. That is, to display patience.
So, how can we develop patience in life when the game seems rigged entirely to encourage the quick fix?
The answer can be found in the Martial Arts. Let’s take a look at just some of the ways the Martial Arts can help you develop patience in your life.
Learn The Value of Perseverance
The Martial Arts serve as one of life’s great equalizers.
The arts don’t care what job you have, who your parents are, or what car you drive. There is one path to success here and one path alone and that is the path of perseverance.
Training in the Martial Arts teaches us that our success or failure is in our own hands. The mats don’t lie and the ring doesn’t care for excuses. If you have done the work, progress will be made, but it won’t be made in a single session.
Progress will be the accumulation of sustained effort over time.
It’s The Journey Not The Destination
Whether training Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, or one of the many other great arts, your first session will be fun. And the more you train, the deeper that enjoyment will become.
Though some of us will decide to test our skills in competition or to strive for that next coloured belt, it is this enjoyment that brings us back to training time and again over the years.
Medals, trophies, belts, and certificates are not the ultimate destination for the martial artist, they are just part of the scenery along the way.
Just as in life, we don’t rush towards our ultimate destination, but rather take in our leisurely fill of the scenery along the way.
Develop a Systematic Approach to Problem-Solving
Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “To the man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”
The Martial Arts are all about ensuring you have more than just a hammer to approach the problems of life with.
Disciplines like Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu teach us that for every attack there is a counter. And for every counter, there is a counter to that counter.
Practitioners learn that there are multiple pathways to success and that it takes time and patience to determine the best path to ensure the desired outcome. They learn a systematic approach to problem-solving is the most effective and efficient – in the academy and in life beyond the academy.
In our fast-paced world, it is clearer than ever that patience is not only a virtue, but a skill. And like all skills, it can be improved with practice. The Martial Arts offer the perfect environment for us to hone our patience, helping us to develop a valuable skill that will serve us well in all aspects of our lives.
