INSPIRE-EMPOWER-ENABLE. Life Lessons from the Dojo

Achieving a black belt in the martial arts requires years of training, dedication, practice and personal evolution. The primary evolution centers around moving from a primary focus on self-achievement to a transcending focus  that centers on improving the life-circumstance of others. This self-actualization or transcendence defines what it means to achieve the rank of black belt. The same is true in leadership. Successful leaders move from a focus on their personal success to the success of those they lead. Tune into this podcast to learn how to become a black belt in leadership and lead humanely.

Life transitions are often extremely difficult for people. The difficulty often stems from an inability to recognize that "what"  they do may be different from "who"  they really are. By focusing on the "why" we do things, or the innate calling of our job or profession, we can separate out who we are and our clear purpose from the mere language of the J.O.B., or the What we do in life. Tune in to this podcast to discover how searching for the real you, the "who" you really are, will aid you in major life transitions by separating the language of the "what"  and "how" from your true underling purpose- your "why".

In the martial arts we train our students to trust their instincts about people, places and things. The best self defense is being aware of your surroundings and  listening to your "gut feelings". Author Gavin de Becker, in his book, The Gift of Fear, writes about how our primitive brain drives our "Fight or Flight instinct" for survival and our cortex  or "human brain" provides our problem solving and rational thinking. Listen to this podcast to learn how trusting your gut and resisting the trap of inappropriately rationalizing that things are "ok", will keep you safe in all aspects of your life.  

Inevitably, we all experience conflict almost every day. It could be at work, school, or at home. Conflict, although anxiety provoking, is a means for personal growth. Tune into this podcast to learn different styles of dealing with conflict. We may use a direct approach, meeting the conflict head on. We may try a clever approach-avoiding the conflict by being innovative. Or-we may adapt a child-like demeanor and use vulnerability and a peaceful calm to build a relationship to manage the conflict. 

Samurai warriors were taught to create a hyper- state of awareness by clearing their mind creating a state referred to as "Mushin". This state of "no mind" improved the warrior's ability to be overcome their opponent in battle. The teaching comes from a concept termed "Mind Like Moon--Mind Like Water. Tune into this podcast to learn how this ancient training may improve our insight to living a happy and fulfilling life.

We all remember the old western movies where there is a barroom brawl. Inevitably, one of the characters throws a punch and when his target moves out of the way he tumbles uncontrollably over the bar crashing into the glassware! This is moving with ill intent. There was not stability and the intent was to do harm. In the martial arts, moving with good intent means we are firmly grounded, with our mind's eye on the floor, not the punch or kick.  Moving with good intent implies we are firmly rooted and grounded in all of  our actions. Tune into this podcast to learn how to move with good intent in life, firmly grounded with a strong foundation of character, and purposeful living. 

In the martial arts we teach the skills of how to fall on the ground safely to avoid injury. We tuck our chin to our chest and round the surface of our back so we can dissipate the energy of the fall over the rounded surface of our back--much like rolling a ball. We prevent the energy of the fall from entering our bodies, and creating injury,  by forcing it to roll over our round surface.  We  stop our roll and give the fall-energy back to the earth by slapping the ground with our open hands and flat arms. Listen to this podcast to understand how we may manage difficult conversations and insults by not accepting the negative energy inside and letting it roll over our external surface without taking it in to create harm.  Be like the ball :-)

Tradition brings great joy and value in many societies across the world. Tradition aligns practices and beliefs and contributes to a feeling of comfort in the familiar.  It is also important to recognize that tradition is often a practice without a corresponding concern or purpose. Sometimes we do things because "we have always done it that way around here". Listen to this podcast to better understand how to create meaning by aligning concerns with actions or practices. Discover the concept of Shu-ha-ri and how one moves from a foundation of tradition to break free and innovate with purpose. 

Learning that experiencing gratitude leads to generosity is the premise of this podcast. A virtuous cycle is created that perpetuates generosity from the foundation of appreciation and gratitude. Examine your life circumstance and uncover what gifts of spirit and care you have received and how you may innately pay it forward, by your own good works, to positively influence the life-circumstance of people you encounter day to day.  

As we move toward the end of our careers or even as simply as moving up the corporate ladder,  we will need to consider who will take our intent forward.  Who will  carry out proverbial "ball" forward, into the future, to preserve and enhance the legacy we  have forged.Tune into this podcast to listen how  lessons from ancient stories may help you pick your successor that will best continue your intended  legacy.

There are areas around the world called "Blue Zones" where there are concentrations of people that have lived longer than 100 yrs. The people of these areas have much to teach all of us regarding how to live a long and purposeful lives. Ikigai is a Japanese word that roughly translates to "The happiness of always being busy". Tune in to this podcast to learn the valuable lessons that come from Ogimi in Okinawa, the famous village of longevity.

The space between two martial arts combatants is a finite separation which we call the "gap". In order to engage in combat, participants must close that gap to initiate the physical interaction or combat. In order to close that gap--combatants  must have the courage to step up, skills to engage and follow-through to create action.  Tune into this podcast to see how this concept is paramount to achieving your own personal goals and ultimately, life harmony.

When we establish our life goals we can either approach the process with abandon  and run the risk of burn out or exhaustion in an"all-out" effort to achieve them, or we can be more metered and take smaller more disciplined  steps to get to our destination. Tune in to this podcast to learn the wonderful lesson taught by Jim Collins in the book Great by Choice. The foundational principles of fanatic discipline, empiric creativity and productive paranoia will serve us well on our 20 mile march of life. 

In today's day and age we are constantly faced with new challenges, obstacles and dilemmas. To discover success we must maintain the ability to adapt and change as our environment dictates. Our ability to be a life-long learner comes from  our understanding of the importance of maintaining a beginner's mind; open and receptive. The value of a cup comes from its emptiness--its ability to be receptive to new content. Tune in to this podcast to listen to why it is important to maintain a beginner's  mind and leave room for more tea.

As leaders, we are often approached by colleagues who relay a situation or incident to us and ask us to do something about it! We must first seek the truth by evaluating all perspectives.  We cannot put the "stake in the ground" about what we believe to be true without looking at things from all sides. The non-abiding or non-discriminating mind philosophy used in the martial arts during sparring, forces us to see things holistically - from all perspectives before acting. Tune in to this podcast to see how developing a non-abiding mind will make you a more effective leader at work and at home..

With all that is going on in our society today we often find negative emotions affecting our  ability to flourish. Negative emotions impede effective communication and often lead to many interpersonal breakdowns.  To discover personal inner peace,  we must effectively recognize our personal negative triggers and the negative trigger in others to apply moderating strategies. Tune in to this podcast to learn strategies to effectively moderate negative emotions.

The internet and all social media make sharing information globally an instant reality. Unfortunately, the things we read are frequently only perception of truth and not actually true. We tend to believe what we read or see as irrevocable truths and emotions are created to support our narratives. Listen to this podcast to discover that rumors are like "Feathers in the Wind" and  once released into cyberspace, cannot be retrieved. False narratives and rumors are harmful as they are wrongly perceived as irrevocable truths. The podcast helps you gain perspective about looking at things cautiously and seeking the truth for yourself.

Have you encountered a problem that seems to be so difficult to solve that the answer is just not apparent? The problem seems to rent a space in your brain and preoccupies your thinking. You become overly focused and persistent on finding a solution. You can't seem to stop thinking about it and it is driving you crazy. You get headaches, backaches and don't sleep well. The relationships around you suffer.  What do you do? Tune in to this podcast to hear the story of the Prince and the Mosquito and how this ancient story helps you find the answer to the impossible.

During the pandemic many of us have felt burned-out and are merely existing instead of passionately embracing life. We find ourselves searching the internet, binge-watching Netflix and impulse-buying on Amazon to get an endorphin high to escape from life for awhile.Listen to this podcast to discover how by discovering and acting on your strengths (Now Discover your Strengths by Clifton and Buckingham), you can emerge, find your spirit, and rediscover passionate and purposeful living again!

The word team is used in may areas of lives, work, school, play, sports, etc.  We use acronyms like "Together Everyone Achieves More-TEAM" or "Team work makes the dream work!".  The language implies that we are involved in some sort of competition. Teams compete. The members of Second City IMPROV, in Chicago, use the word "Ensemble" instead of the word team. Tune into this podcast to learn the advantages of an ensemble mentality and how it may transform  your "team work".

In today's world we often focus on our personal imperfections. It may be our appearance, our family, our heritage, our work or any thing we perceive as different from the norm. Unfortunately,  we invariably craft narratives that are negative and self-degrading which makes us feel inadequate and not enough. Listen to this podcast to learn how ancient wisdom turns our focus to the value and strength of imperfections in our daily lives. (Photo by Tom Slemmons)

In today's society we are taught that happiness comes from achieving success. When we search for happiness we find it!  We just need more preparation!  The truth is happiness finds you!  When you start with positivity--happiness inevitably follows. Then--happiness attracts success. Tune in to this podcast to learn about hedonic and eudaemonic happiness and how "stealing the moon" brings happiness and fulfillment. 

All too often we leave an interpersonal interaction feeling like we have, in some way,  been disrespected. This feeling leads to an emotion which may result in a regrettable action. Tune in to this episode to learn about the concepts of respect and disrespect in everyday interactions. True intent becomes important and always requires assessment before we write a negative narrative of ill intended disrespect. This podcast brings ancient wisdom to our contemporary world.  Compassion and understanding trumps defensiveness and contempt.

In life, we often encounter changes and situations we immediately  judge as good luck or bad luck. The ancient story--"Maybe Yes, Maybe No" helps  us understand that we can't be too quick to judge and categorize every life circumstance  as either good or bad. With a good dose of patience, we often see things play out in a way we did not expect. Is the old adage "With every storm cloud there is always a silver lining" true?  Maybe yes, maybe no.

Our current world is stressful. Our work is difficult, relationships are hard and trying to take care of our self is almost impossible.  Real self care is more than just focusing on things that reduce stress such as massages, yoga, organic diets, exercise, sleep, etc. Real self care comes from establishing boundaries. This is the critical missing ingredient!  Once we can say no and set appropriate boundaries we can begin to truly express love, compassion and gratitude that brings life fulfillment. Tune in to this podcast to discover the important ingredient to self care-- setting boundaries.

The martial arts teach us that pain is the product of direct resistance. When we actively resist--pain is the result. Instead of directly resisting the force, martial artists are taught that by "blending" with the force in parallel, one  can better gain control and ultimately, better influence the desired outcome. In today's world we encounter many immovable forces, where if we resist, we will only feel pain. Listen to today's podcast to learn how to "blend" in everyday situations at work, school, and home to avoid pain and bring control and resolution.

All too often, motivation of desirable actions and behaviors for individuals at home and in the workplace, centers around "carrots and sticks".  Rewards and loss aversion seem to prevail  as the primary sources of motivation to get us to do what others want us to do. This lesson comes from the work of Daniel Pink in his book Drive  where he dives deeper into the science of motivation. The primary motivators for behaviors and actions that require intellectual activity, emotional connection and relationship management are purpose, autonomy and mastery. Tune in to this episode to learn how to motivate others, and your self,  without requiring "carrots and sticks" !

Everyday, many of us have conversations that are emotionally charged, have opposing viewpoints and have an outcome that is really important! These tough conversations require unique skills to consistently perform well. This podcast presents suggestions on how to prepare yourself to have these conversations that matter. Tune in to listen to lessons from the martial arts to prepare you for that next tough conversation.

Our days are often filled with  "putting out the proverbial fires" in the workplace. We are required to react to urgent matters that require our undivided attention. This episode addresses the mindset of awareness, preparation and "Upstream Thinking" to teach us how to fix things before they are broken. To stop reacting from fear and begin the process of acting from confidence. Tune in to learn about how these important concepts may bring more fulfillment to your personal and professional lives. 

Our new era of communication relies heavily on texting, messaging and emails  to communicate important and often emotional issues. Out Little Dragons teach us that how we say something is far more important than what we say. In other words, context is more important than context. In this lesson, our children teach us that our intended message  comes mostly from tone of voice, body language and facial expressions and much less from the content of our words.  If there are gaps in written communication, we as human beings fill them in with new narratives of villain, victim and helplessness. Therefore, when you have important messages to communicate--do it face to face. Tune in to learn important communications lessons from our Little Dragons. Wisdom from the mouths of babes!

Most of us think of violent action stars like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan when we think of martial arts. Others may think of amazing demonstrations of  "karate skills" to break blocks of ice or cement. Martial arts offer more. The philosophical aspects about how to live a peaceful and harmonious life represent more of what martial arts are about than the physical self- defense or breaking skills. This episode discusses "breaking" and how breaking a board allows us to break free from negative assumptions or self-doubt. Tune in to learn how to "Break Free" from the self -imposed negative influences in your life.

Have you noticed that martial artists or those from Asian cultures may perform a slight bow when greeting another person? The bow is a demonstration of respect or "organizing your thoughts and actions around the existence of someone or something". When we bow to another individual we put our head below theirs to reflect our relative worth during the interaction. We silently say "You are more important than I am". This is a demonstration of deep respect in that, we truly make the other person more important during our interaction. In ordinary communication at work, school or at home, we demonstrate the bow by showing "respectful communication". Tune in to learn how to "bow" to others by respectfully communicating.

We are often told we need to be more resilient to the storms of life. We need to be like bamboo--well grounded, flexible, bend-not-break and capable of enduring the harsh storms of life to emerge unaffected and therefore, resilient. The concept of anti-fragility is a new way of thinking that suggests that one must emerge from the storm of life not just unchanged, but better and stronger. The metaphor of bamboo helps us understand the benefit of anti fragility over simple resilience. Tune in to listen how to apply the concepts of "being like bamboo" and  "anti-fragility " to your life. 

We are all leaders and followers in life depending on the situation or circumstance. In order to be an extraordinary leader, we must have a clear and detailed understanding of what our followers need to follow us. As followers, we need to be able to articulate what we need from our leaders in order to influence more effective leadership. Tune in to learn what it means to be a compassionate leader and what it takes for our followers to line up behind us as we lead into  an uncertain future.

As we embark on the new year, inevitably we will encounter unpredictable challenges, obstacles and difficulties. The martial arts front stance is a strong stance that provides stability against oncoming forces and provides a foundation  for future growth. The philosophy of creating a "Life Stance", encompassing a personal mission statement, is adapted, metaphorically, to the physical front stance of the martial arts to help us commit to building an adaptable, stable and purposeful life. Tune in to create a "Life Stance" by listening to the Wisdom of the Wave.

With all that is happening in our lives, we are frequently preoccupied with what has happened in the past or what may happen in the future. While it is good to learn from the past and to be prepared for the future, over-focusing and perseverating about the depressions of the past and the uncertainties and anxieties of the future will only deter from the here and now. "Tasting the Strawberry" is an ancient story that helps us understand the value of focusing  on the present moment. Tune in to discover how you may bring this important concept to everyday relationships and valued activities.

We are all moving forward the best we can from the burdens of the year 2020. The ancient story of "Dropping the Burden"  brings light to our need to drop the burdens of the past in order to embrace the possibilities of the present and future. By hanging on to the burdens of the past we are unable to freely move forward in productive ways. Let's be like the older monk in this story and leave our burdens behind us as we explore the possibilities of 2021.

We are all currently enduring many life challenges with the pandemic, social unrest, a recent difficult  presidential election, lack of social interaction and financial challenges. We all feel what it means to be "burned out". As a result, many are emotionally exhausted, fatigued and uninspired. How can we rekindle our life energy and life passion? How can we personally discover what it takes to be a beacon of light to ourself and others?  The story of "The Blind Man's Lantern"  helps us understand the consequences of being invisible to other travelers on life's journey and what it takes to "relight the candle" to lead yourself and others into the darkness of an uncertain future. Tune in to learn more. 

From day to day we often encounter others that show faces that are angry, indifferent, sorrowful or use humor inappropriately.  This lesson helps us discover that each of these "faces" come from a common source--fear.  Understanding that fear may present itself from different "faces" helps us to realize the common solution is compassion. It is easy to be compassionate to someone is crying but difficult when they are angry or indifferent. Tune in to learn more. 

It seems that we all are driven to find balance in our lives. We make it a priority to balance our work-family, etc. This episode addresses the concept that balance is exhausting and most fail at achieving it.  Consider harmony instead of balance.  Harmony is achieved when we carefully tune each string of our metaphorical guitar so we can achieve a beautiful life chord!  Tune in to the podcast to see how you can move from attempting balance to actually achieving harmony.