The Way of The Superior Man - Miyamoto Musashi

seek nothing outside of yourself there is no doubt that Miyamoto Musashi is one of the greatest samurais in history his unparalleled achievements in swordsmanship weren't just a result of natural talent but a testament to his unwavering discipline according to his own writings it was this very discipline that carved his path to Greatness Musashi's first duel was when he was just 13 years old which he won after this he remained undefeated for over 60 duels even now in the modern day this record still stands as one of the most historic achievements of all time Miyamoto Musashi

wasn't just the best Samurai ever in Japan but also he was an artist and thinker his life serves as a compelling example of how self-discipline can be a game changer without it we're like rudderless ships easily swayed by the currents of impulse and immediate gratification Musashi saw self-discipline as more than a tool for achievement it was a shield against suffering when we're disciplined we're better equipped to handle life's challenges and surprises so with that in mind in this video we'll explore Miyamoto Musashi's teachings for Superior self-discipline and how they can be practically applied in our

daily lives except everything just the way it is Musashi's Life as a samurai was filled with uncertainties from the outcomes of duels to the transient nature of his lifestyle for him acceptance wasn't a passive act but a form of discipline it meant acknowledging the reality of each moment whether it was a life-threatening duel or a peaceful day of writing this perception isn't just for samurais facing life or death situations it's a principle that can be applied to the challenges we encounter every day for example imagine you're driving to an important meeting and your car suddenly

breaks down the immediate reaction for many of us might be to ask why is this happening to me or even to curse our bad luck thereby adding unnecessary suffering to the situation but what Musashi suggests instead of labeling the situation is bad and spiraling into frustration a disciplined person sees it for what it is the car stopped working and it needs fixing the focus then quickly turns to finding Solutions like calling for a tow truck or notifying the people waiting for you and figuring out how to resolve the situation this principle aligns closely with the

stoic philosophy which Epictetus encapsulated in his famous quote we cannot choose our external circumstances but we can always choose how we respond to them the idea is straightforward yet profound we may not have control over what happens to us but we do have control of over how we react Musashi also offers a compelling perspective on how we perceive events cautioning us against labeling them as good or bad he argues that these labels are not inherent qualities of the events themselves but rather mental constructs that we as observers impose upon them so when we adopt a

disciplined mindset we free ourselves from these limiting judgments do not regret what you have done guilt can be a helpful emotion it's like a signal that alerts us when we've crossed an ethical line for instance if you've said something rude and hurt someone feeling guilty is natural and even constructive it shows you care about the impact of your actions and offers a chance for self-correction sometimes many of us confuse the feeling of guilt and regret even though each of them serves different functions guilt is an emotional response that provides useful information helping us adjust our

behavior for the future regret on the other hand is a mental state that doesn't serve us well it's like a cloud that hovers over our thoughts taking up valuable mental space and hindering discipline Miyamoto Musashi didn't have the luxury to dwell on regret he had to focus on the present moment and the actions that would keep him alive that's why he emphasized the importance of a clear mind for Effective decision making something that regret can severely compromise to maintain discipline it's crucial to keep our minds free from distractions regret is one such distraction whether you've

blown your savings on a risky investment or pulled an all-nighter playing video games and missed an important class or work meeting regret won't help you fix any of these situations instead of getting stuck in a cycle of regret which often leads to feelings of helplessness we should focus on taking proactive steps to remedy the situation it's okay to make mistakes and learn from them what's not okay is to let those mistakes turn into a pit of regret we should aim to learn improve and move forward be indifferent to where you live for Musashi the location

was secondary to the discipline and mindset he carried within himself whether he was in a peaceful Temple or a chaotic Battlefield his inner State remained unshaken many of us might believe that a simple change of location will magically solve all our problems leading to a happily ever after scenario but Musashi is challenging this common notion and urging us to understand that the key to contentment isn't tied to a specific location it's more about our mindset and how you engage with life happiness at its core is an internal State of Mind sure a new place might

offer a temporary boost in mood but if you're not fundamentally content or aligned with your life's purpose that initial happiness will likely fade eventually you'll find yourself back at square one this Echoes the words of Confucius who said no matter where you go there you are Musashi also prepares us for life's unpredictability if we're on a path of self-improvement or seeking Mastery in any field we might end up in places we never saw coming maybe we'll find ourselves in a different country adjusting to a new way of life or even learning to navigate unfamiliar cultures

these changes go beyond just our physical location their tests of our mental and emotional strength so instead of focusing on where we are Musashi proposes that we should consider how we are are we adaptable resilient and committed to our goals these are the qualities that will help us Thrive no matter where life takes us to know ten thousand things no one well in today's world we're faced with an overwhelming number of career paths and Endless Options it's common to feel drawn to multiple interests whether it's Sports computers or art leading us to dabble in various

Fields having a wide range of Interest isn't necessarily a bad thing however this can sometimes lead to what's known as the shiny object syndrome where people jump from one new and trendy idea to another abandoning each as soon as something else catches their eye Musashi took a different approach he devoted his life to mastering the art of the sword day in and day out he trained restlessly however it's easy to forget that he was also an accomplished artist a cerebral philosopher and a master strategist with this we can argue that knowing one way doesn't mean

limiting yourself to one Pursuit it emphasizes the importance of focused discipline in mastering one thing at a time and dedicating our full time and attention to this one thing until we Master it by doing so we now know one way so by extensively learning a skill and experiencing the entirety of what that is we start seeing patterns which will help us learn other skills as well in miyamoto's case his strategy was largely based on the patterns he learned from dueling his opponents and applying them on a larger scale in modern days this can be illustrated

by the resilience we gain by learning how to be adaptable in anything we do it's the ability to learn how to learn if you know how to study for one exam you'll know how to study for the rest or if you know how to adapt in the workplace you'll be able to handle any task you're assigned to but it all starts with learning One Way first so that you can later know a thousand never let yourself be saddened by a separation considering that Musashi was a samurai a warrior who've always faced life or death situations

this principle likely held significant weight in his own life separations are a natural and unavoidable part of Being Human whether it's the loss of a loved one moving to a new place or simply taking different paths in life these moments of Separation Will Come For example imagine you have to move to a different city to chase a career opportunity or to follow a dream in this case you'll be leaving behind friends and family which is tough but according to Musashi the discipline lies in managing those emotions acknowledging the sadness but not letting it deter you

from your path the concept of Separation also extends to material possessions let's say you're attached to your car or your smartphone if these items were taken away would you lose your sense of self Musashi warns against such attachments suggesting that they can become a form of emotional bondage the discipline here is in the Detachment in understanding that while you can enjoy things they should shouldn't own you emotionally never be jealous you might be thinking what's the connection between jealousy and discipline well Musashi's teachings often Target the barriers that prevent us from being disciplined and jealousy

is definitely one of them let's say you're scrolling through social media and see a friend who's just landed a dream job or is traveling to exotic places it's easy to feel a Pang of jealousy thinking you're missing out or not achieving enough but here's the thing jealousy distracts you from focusing on your own path and self-improvement imagine if Musashi had spent his time being jealous of other Swordsmen would he have become the legendary Warrior we know today highly unlikely in the samurai world where life and death were separated by the thinnest of margins there was

no room for such distractions Musashi focused on honing his own skills perfecting his art and understanding his own strengths and weaknesses jealousy would have been a waste of precious time and energy resources that he could otherwise invest in becoming the best version of himself and just like Musashi you can't afford to squander your focus and allow yourself to get to distracted by what others are doing especially in the age of social media maintaining our discipline is more crucial than ever so when jealousy tries to divert your attention remember Musashi's unwavering focus and commitment to his

craft use that as fuel to invest in yourself and to become the greatest Samurai in your own field