Conventional Wisdom Blog

Shaolin Action Principle #15

   Be known as: youthful, successful, controlled, powerful, loyal, passionate, vital, noble, courteous, competent, confident, strong, polite, spiritual, cheerful, generous, honest, happy, kind, modest, centered, secure, disciplined, imaginative, capable, dynamic, motivating, calm, decent, fit, serene, romantic, charismatic, able, daring, diplomatic, patient, inspiring, courageous, vibrant, captivating, altruistic, cultured, clean, funny, enterprising, compassionate, brave, creative, prosperous, persistent, robust, charming, joyous, determined, sophisticated, respectful, hard working, humble, positive, active, thrifty, appealing, delightful, warm, chivalrous, considerate, frugal, unselfish, optimistic, affluent, peaceful, loving, diligent, curious, bold, tenacious, faithful, educated, principled, energetic and elegant. Establish your reputation.

Self-Defense Principle #15

Dear Master Bill:

My dream is to become a journalist. How did you get started writing?

Advice from Bill:

I wanted to become a writer and the subject that I knew the most about was real estate. There was a man in Boston, Jack Peckham, who wrote a very popular real estate column every week in the Boston Herald. I called him and asked him if I could buy him lunch. I wanted advice. Still a high school teacher, I worked for Jack initially as a part-time researcher. Gradually, I started giving Jack article ideas. Then, I started writing the columns which Jack edited. Eventually, with confidence and experience, I was hired as a writer in my own right by Federal Research Press.

My writing career began long before Al Gore invented the Internet. Today, you don’t need a newspaper to begin your journalism career. Now, you can start writing and promoting your own blog. Do that. Writers write. Start writing and keep writing and you’ll be a writer. Build your audience one reader, one link, at a time.

I was lucky to find a mentor in Jack Peckham. I took the initiative to call Jack. You can do the same. Find writers in your local community whom you admire and maybe you’ll find a mentor.

Dear Master Bill:

I am a woman who is interested in studying karate. My concern is getting hurt. Suppose that I study for five years and get a black belt, what are the odds of my not getting injured? Isn’t karate pretty dangerous?

Advice from Bill:

Karate is a contact sport. As you advance, so does the intensity of the contact. Karate is about punching and kicking and takedowns and blocking and sparring. Especially at the brown belt level, the training and competition can be [and should be] intense. Muscle sprains and strains are common. Broken toes and fingers [and noses] are not uncommon. Martial arts training is not particularly more dangerous than prolonged expert level competitive training in skiing, gymnastics, rock climbing and bicycling, as well as, tennis, running and even swimming.

Sorry, if you want non-contact, choose tai chi or yoga and not karate. if you find a dojo that will guarantee a black belt while guaranteeing that you won’t feel a scratch, put your hand on your wallet and leave immediately.

Shaolin Action Principle #14

   Create for yourself an evolving document that outlines your purpose in life. Who are you? What are your values? What do you intend to do with your time to make your one life meaningful? Excepting acts of God, it is you who determines your future.

   This book is now yours. Don’t be afraid to underline sentiments and ideas you like and cross out those you don’t. If you ruin the book and want another, don’t worry, we’ll send you another copy. Your success is our mission. When you read inspirational passages in other books, magazines or newspapers, write them down or clip them out. Put everything together in a folder or box. This will serve as your motivational reserve and will help you create a personal mission statement.

   Your mission statement only has to be a few sentences or paragraphs. Refer to your mission statement periodically and don’t be afraid to change it as you grow.

   A mission statement will help you to establish a foundation upon which you can build your dreams and goals and from which will flow your objectives and daily to-do list.

Self-Defense Principle #14

Dear Master Bill:

Forget the fancy health clubs and treadmills.  I believe in walking as exercise.  Aren’t I right in saying that walking is enough?

Advice from Bill:

If you walk thirty to forty-five minutes per day for five or six days per week, you have an excellent exercise program.  Walking fitness experts suggest 10,000 steps a day as a good walking goal.  Buy a pedometer and see how you do.  Taking the stairs rather than the elevator and parking a few blocks from your destination are also good walking strategies.

For the aerobic benefits, make sure that part of your walk is done at a brisk enough pace to get your heart going.  To avoid injury, stretch before and after you walk.  If you walk alone and without headphones, you’ll gain your quiet time benefits.

To complete your exercise program just add a little strength work and watch your diet - eating mindfully.

Self-Defense Principle #13

Shaolin Action Principle #13

    Be prepared to succeed both physically and mentally. You do not know when you will be called upon to defend with a block, a blow or a word.

    If you want to be a versatile martial artist, you should cross train. You can swim, run, or rollerblade. Staying fit also helps to prevent injury and helps you deal with stress and fatigue.

    If you want to be thinner, start putting out more calories than you take in and you will lose weight. Start now. If you want to be healthier, add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. Drink a lot of water. If you want a strong heart, do twenty minutes of vigorous forms or katas or calisthenics each day. If you want to look good and feel strong, work out with weights three times a week for thirty minutes. You don’t need fancy gym equipment to be fit. You don’t need a lot of time. You just need the will to start and persist.