Managing Failure

Formidable Fighter, #10

We can learn a lot from failure. Failure, when studied, brings enlightenment. One of the greatest pitfalls of group martial arts training is failing to ask: “What can go wrong?” Combat in any form or way is a potentially dangerous activity. There are only you and your opponent on the field of battle, whether it be a mat in the training hall, a ring in the center of a ten-thousand person audience, or a dark back street somewhere near home or far away. The years you have spent training in the martial arts have not made you immune to failure. There is somebody out there who is better, stronger, smarter, tougher, and more vicious than you. The years of martial arts training under your belt have failed to make you invincible. There is no guarantee that you will perform according to textbook standard. At best a failed technique can cost you loss of face; at worst it can cost you your life. The study of failure is therefore an important part of your self-assessment. Formidable Fighter: The Complete Series, a compilation of all 14 books in this series, is available in both electronic and print format.