A Lesson from
Martial Arts
One of the most frequent questions raised on
the Facebook Pathways Discussion Forum is this: If Level 1 and Level 2 in Pathways are practically the same for each
path, what is the point of repeating them? A variation of this question is why repeat the Icebreaker for each Path?
I was one of 120 members who replied to a similar question
that was raised on 24th February. My answer took me back to the learning
I obtained from my days as a Karateka in Wado Ryu karate. I explained in my
answer that every karate class, no matter your grade, whether a beginners white
belt or an 8th Dan Black Belt (our Sensei), we all started with basic
kicks and punches. The aim was for us to work continuously on the
basics to build a solid foundation and then move on to more complex moves such as
katas, kihons and combination kicks and punches. Repetition and regular practice were considered
the path to good form and progress.
I see an analogy between repetition of moves in Martial
Arts and repetition of projects in Pathways.
When you repeat L1 and L2 speeches the better they are likely to be as you Master the Fundamentals (L1) and get to learn your
style (L2). This paves the way to success in the higher levels: L3 - Increasing Knowledge, Level 4 -
Building Skills and Level 5 - Demonstrating Expertise.
I would encourage members pondering the benefits of
repeating Levels 1 and 2 in Pathways to approach it with an open mind. One tip I would offer is to find a buddy who has completed your path and share notes. I
think you will not be disappointed.
4 comments:
Love it love it love it! and I feel the same, I love also the analogy.
It goes also for anyone doing any sport, music or yes even writing.
Hi Elizabeth, this is an interesting analogy - Karate and Pathways! I believe you are right though that the key to mastering any skill is repetition. We might not even realise it but by repeating the same move over and over again, or by repeating the same Pathways Project again and again we are slowly but surely improving and perfecting our skills.
I totally agree with the repetition of the basic and I like the example given Elizabeth. We need to strengthen our foundations. Only repetition of basic will make us stronger and help us go forward.
This analogy provides an important way to highlight the importance of building through practice, the core skills. By repeating similar projects in each Pathway we start we are reminded of the fundamentals of public speaking and by sharing with others so that they might learn from our experiences. It reminds me of a quote by Sparky Anderson American Baseball Coach which I believe runs true throughout Toastmasters......"Success isn't something that just happens - success is learned, success is practiced and then it is shared."
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