Part Two of this article is coming this week, so I decided to re output the first one beforehand so you can see what Part Two is actually relating to0.

Mindset Master Series – Do You Have A Warriors Mindset?

This month we are taking a look at the  Mindset Mastery series and taking a closer look in to a ‘Warrior Mindset’ and how we can use the ways of the past with the pace of today to our advantage.

‘Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.’ Sun Tzu

When we read historically of battles and combat several thousand years ago with great stories of war, assassins and Dynasties being won and lost in the East and around the world, we think typically of strong, courageous, fearless and driven Warriors and Samurai of a bygone era with little in common with the Martial Arts of the present day.

‘Be master OF mind rather than mastered BY mind.’ Zen Saying

A ‘Warriors Mindset’ has long been associated with the practice of the Martial Arts and warfare. With it’s possible modern comparison of the ‘Master’ or ‘Black Belt’ they are all synonymous with qualities, mental powers and abilities of what could be described as a ‘Warriors Mindset’.

These mindset skills were learned through rigorous physical and mental practice with precise, disciplined tutelage by students there on a full time basis to learn them. They were carved over time and are still today not something we can simply plug in and just magically have.

‘When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.’ Henry Ford

Intrinsically in the Martial Arts of today there are vital characteristics, methodology and skill sets that we still use, teach and practice today. And in a wider sense these aspects of our holistic Martial Arts and Personal Development can be levied and applied to mainstream culture as something we can share with everyone,  regardless of whether they are a MMA fighter, part-time hobbyist or someone (as of yet) unwilling to don a dobok or gi!

Essentially there are certain aspects of a Warriors Mindset that can still be learned today and mastered over time if you truly want to. It all starts with the decision and having the right mindset tools in place to carry the process through from start to finish.

‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.’ Winston Churchill

By taking a snap shot of our modern era we can see where, how and why ancient wisdom and their disciplines can fit in. Typically many people feel stressed, overwhelmed or divided in their everyday lives as to where and how they should be spending their time and effort.

Modern technologies with their real time speed can sometimes make you feel as though you are never getting on top of the in box because more is piling in by the second, leaving you feeling you are treading water rather than getting ahead.

We should also bear in mind that in order to strengthen the mind we already have and overcome any ‘weak’ areas we need to understand that as humans we are going to make mistakes and it is pointless wasting our energy raking over them for the millionth time. This is self sabotage and we will visit this in another issue.

‘The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.’ Bruce Lee

So in order to get the best out of our ‘Warriors Mindset’, let’s go through the characteristics and take a look at where some of the issues might lie and run through some practical ways to help overcome those challenges.

• One of the difficulties our modern mind has over our ancestors is the absorption in one activity or another to the detriment of that which we should be doing, or in other words procrastination! So here a strong Warriors Mindset will help eliminate that once and for all. Making priority lists for example will assist in structuring your day and enabling your mind to concentrate on the most important tasks, whilst ignoring the trivial.

• The art of Mindset, as is Holistic Personal Development, starts and end in your mind with your thoughts. As your thoughts influence your actions and your actions strongly indicate your results. Whilst we may have off moments and days, a Warriors Mindset is about taking absolute responsibility for your own mind, your own life and not giving away any of that power to anyone else. And above all else being mindful of the thoughts you are thinking and the positivity of them and whether they are moving you towards your goals or in the case of negative ones away from them.

• A strong Mindset is gained through a variety of skills all sharing one common thread. Consistency. Once you can master that aspect of your Warriors Mindset, everything else as they say is ‘academic’.  As nothing will outlast anyone more than the person who is consistently consistent. The partner of consistency is self discipline.

• The only way your brain will evolve and get more competent is with both use and strong self discipline. The more we dictate to it, control what is being put in to it, the more we take the lead and ‘master it’,  the more it will become a true Warriors Mindset. In reality that means doing as you say you will and definitely not displaying the ‘do as I say and not as I do’ mentality!

An example would be the physical aspect of the arts which is an excellent way most people learn this quality but it should be remembered that it is required across the board and is an essential element of a strong mindset.

• Most of us have had disappointments, ‘failures’ of one sort or another but actually this is all vital research that as individuals we all need. One of the Universal Laws, the Law of Attraction call this process a clarity list, which is ascertaining what you DO want by going through the list of what you DON’T want. By being clear on the things we both want and don’t want we are assisting our minds to become clear and focused. The more we apply this the easier it gets. So begin clearing the mind clutter immediately and getting rid of outdated thoughts that don’t belong there and do not serve you.

• There is another analogy of ‘gardening’ that is used in Personal Development.  In order to simply understand that the pruning of our mind is required on a regular basis to cut away the weeds and debris and allow room for the planting and nurturing of new seeds. A Warriors Mindset simply has no room for nonsense, outdated information and anything that is not allowing the mind to run at optimal performance.

• In order to control our minds and enable it to focus on what we want it to will require acknowledging the difference between the ‘conscious’ mind and ‘subconscious’ mind. In basic terms we can view it like this our conscious mind is good at making a list and viewing the items on the list but is pretty lame when it comes to completing the list because it WILL get distracted.

Our subconscious mind is perfect for completing tasks which have been absorbed into it through audio, visual or kinesthetic medium. Adding that it cannot tell the difference between real or not real and so on, an example of this is a student saying ‘I want and will earn my Black Belt’ and a student saying ‘this is too difficult, I can’t do it’, in both cases they are right because the subconscious brain will yield to what is being put in there.

• Once our mind is stretched and reshaped it won’t ever go back. Jim Rohn recommended to Anthony Robbins that remembering to read Personal Development material for half an hour a day was more important than remembering to eat!

As this feeds the mind important information or reinforces previous lessons and solidifies knowledge further. This is also an excellent motivation tool and helps keep you focused on your own minds development. And as Martial Artists (or sports people) we already know the mother of all skill is repetition so that should be a nice easy one to take on board.

‘Courage, above all things, is the first quality of a warrior.’  Karl Von Clauewitz

Comprehensive aspects of a Warriors Mindset could include courage, strength, indomitable spirit and perseverance, fearlessness, endurance, dedication, clarity and focus, commitment, purpose, consistency and a whole host of other characteristics and skills. At that stage we will find our own versions of Warriors Mindset because each is as unique as its owner, even though they will have common features, we will each need to shape them to our own specification.

So be mindful that Holistic Personal Development is dependent on your ability to acknowledge the gradual improvement in all of its aspects and not one over the other. The way you divide the trio up, is obviously up to you but for ease keeping a diary, a journal or an i-phone app as a memory jogger is a fail safe way to assist you.

‘When you really want something, and you couple that with an understanding of your nature, of your spiritual being, and the laws that govern you, you will keep going, regardless of what’s happened. Nothing will stop you.’  Bob Proctor

A Warriors Mindset is not about being just single minded or belligerent, it is a phrase that conjures up someone’s spirit and purpose. Warriors Minds are those that spend their time and effort on their mental development and are committed to ensuring that they are forever more learning. They are consistent and persistent; they possess immeasurable wells of indomitable spirit and know no bounds because there are none.

So think of yourself as a living breathing walking library of knowledge and the greater the depths of your understanding of yourself, the more adept you will be at handling challenges, overcoming obstacles and keeping yourself at optimal levels of happiness.

‘There are no contests in the Art of Peace. A true warrior is invincible because he or she contests with nothing. Defeat means to defeat the mind of contention that we harbor within.’  Morihei Ueshiba

It can sometimes appear to be difficult to take our Martial Arts lessons, wisdom, skills and knowledge out of the dojo / dojang for example in to daily life because they might seem incongruent. But by evolving your own Warriors Mindset and leading by example you are clearly demonstrating your true art and you can do tremendous things in your community and world with it.

‘Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one’s potential.’ Bruce Lee

For all of us we just need to remember to be mindful and present, that is today, the here and now. In Personal Development terms you are aiming to be your best and your best can only be sought and obtained in the here and now, in this current timeframe in these particular circumstances which you are in.

You are either giving it your best shot or you are not, you are either present in mind or distracted, you are either doing your training or you don’t for one reason or another. There is nothing mysterious about mindset and there is nothing that any one person is born with to the detriment of another. It is something that we each individually choose to make a part of our total selves or not.

‘The two worst strategic mistakes to make are acting prematurely and letting an opportunity slip; to avoid this, the warrior treats each situation as if it were unique and never resorts to formulae, recipes or other people’s opinions.’ Paulo Coelho

Your mind is truly the most amazing tool ever created but it needs your nurturing, attention, direction and discipline for it to be at its best.

I hope you will spend a little time each day in cultivating your own Warriors Mindset and seeing where it can take you, as it can always do more than the comfortable part of your mind might think.

P.S. If you have enjoyed this article or found it interesting or helpful, then please click on one of the share buttons and post to facebook or twitter or maybe leave a comment – thank-you

Source:

This is a copy of the article  written for Bleeding Edge Martial Arts Magazine (from our former name Black Belt thinking) but the points are relavent to all not just Martial Arts people see it here