March 30, 2009
Today I’m going to let Rocky Balboa do most of the talking:
“It aint about how hard you hit,” says Rocky. “it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward”.
As a martial arts instructor, this is what I’m looking for: Someone who can learn to take the “hits” and keep coming back for more.
Do you put yourself through the gruelling 4-hour grading process? Do you willingly submit to year after year of bruises, breaks, blood, sweat and tears? And once you’ve done that, do you continue to look for harder and harder ways to test yourself?
Martial arts aren’t about learning to fight. The Rocky movies aren’t really about boxing, either…
March 29, 2009
Today we’re going to meet Johnny (a pseudonym). Johnny has recently been diagnosed with Acute Viral Rhinopharyngitis.
This is an unfortunate situation for poor Johnny, to be sure. While not life-threatening, Johnny’s condition certainly makes it challenging for him to go about his regular daily routine.
There is good news for Johnny, though. Recent medical advances mean that with the right medication (and a little time) his condition will improve. Once his current bout of AVR has been treated he can once again be safely considered “in remission”.
Unfortunately for Johnny, the statistics say that his odds of relapse are very high.
While Johnny is in remission, though, he’s a completely different person. You’d never be able to tell that he was ever as miserable or as dysfunctional as he when he’s suffering the effects of his condition.
You probably wouldn’t be surprised to learn that there are plenty of people who suffer from acute viral rhinopharyngitis – better known as the common cold.
How many of people do you know, though, who like refer to themselves as “viral pharyngitics”, “AVPs” or “cold sufferers”?
You are not your diagnosis. You are far, far more than any diagnosis of mood disorder or schizophrenia. You’re not defined by your condition (unless you choose to be).
