A great intro by a very clever guy - Simon Sinek. There are links to his full length TED talk, as well as his book specifically on the topic for those so inclined.
The idea is as simple as it is revolutionary, at least for most of us. Starting with WHY helps us identify the motivation for action, creating the desire to change. We can then determine the process for change and ultimately the result of the change - the WHAT. In many companies, and for many people the WHAT rather than the HOW is the starting point.
This is very important to us as martial artists as well. Many students consider only the what: what techniques, what systems/subsystems, what skills, what belts/ranks/certifications... Some few get as far as the How: training methods and drills, skills development, methodology, tactics and strategy, philosophy/history/culture. Many will never even consider the Why. However, it is very important to understand WHY we study and train martial arts in order to make sure that we are planning the right process and framework to achieve our goals. For example, If my WHY (motivation) is purely self defense, this will lead to a different set of HOW and WHAT than if I am interested in competition performance or fight choreography or cultural study.
Periodically we need to ask ourselves WHY. Why are we doing what we do, but also WHY the techniques, training, drills, flows are the way they are. Many students go through years of being spoon fed every combination and flow. They mimic their seniors and teachers and do their best to move like we do. While this is inevitable for beginners, by the time a student is reaching higher level they simply MUST be finding their own flow and learning to express their uniqueness in the art. The beauty of Kali comes from the fact that it is so individual and that no two teachers move exactly the same way. The incredible richness and variety of our Southeast Asian heritage gives us so much to draw upon, and once we combine this with our own body type and how we move, we will naturally arrive at our own unique expressions. It is an ART, after all.
We obsess about the answers to things when it is the QUESTIONS, questions like WHY, that are much more important. Asking good questions requires deep thinking and analysis; it requires data and hypotheses, testing and feedback. Good questions lead to good answers. This does not of course mean stopping class every minute to ask "why?" about every movement. Rather, the goal should be to reflect deeply on what happened in class on your own. Consider your own movement, the movement of your partner(s) and the situations. Let your mind explore every aspect of everything you do and turn it over again and again - dissecting every moment until you can wring all possible understanding from it. Be deeply intellectually curious about yourself, your partners and the art. Discuss it with other students and other martial artists from different styles without any judgement over who is right or wrong. Compare and contrast until you can arrive at a clear understanding of what, how and why you do what you do. After reflection, bring your questions forward to your instructors before or after class.
Start with Why.
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