Posts by Hanshi Ader

“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” — Thomas Jefferson The early Chinese philosophers created the 5-element theory to try and help them understand how the universe worked. They saw the entire universe was based on the inter-workings of 5 major elements – fire, wood, water,…

The Japanese phrase “Jiko Sekinin” basically translates as personal responsibility. Maybe it is just me, but it seems that our modern society is drifting further and further away from accepting responsibility for our own actions and the consequences of those actions. These days’ people sue McDonald’s because they got fat eating their food or got…

The average student joins a martial arts school and begins training in the basics. As a student advances in rank, he begins to develop more complex moves and understanding of basic applications. He also learns to integrate these techniques into an overall strategy of how and when they are to be used. It is at…

The Japanese teacher speaks the words “Hajimeru Juuyou Jiko O Yuusen Suru” which translate basically as “prioritize the essential matters”. In another land, Stephen Covey explains this concept in his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey writes about the strategy of keeping “First Things First”. Whether one is discussing military campaigns, personal…