A 10-year-old boy decided to study judo despite the
fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating
car accident. The boy began lessons with an old
Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he
couldn't understand why, after three months of
training the master had taught him only one move.
"Sensei," the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be
learning more moves?" "This is the only move you know,
but this is the only move you'll ever need to know,"
the sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but
believing in his
teacher, the boy kept training.
Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his
first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily
won his first two matches. The third match proved to
be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent
became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his
one move to win the match. Still amazed by his
success, the boy was now in the finals. This time, his
opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced.
For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched.
Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee
called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when
the sensei intervened.
"No," the sensei insisted, "Let him continue." Soon
after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical
mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used
his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the
tournament.
He was the champion. On the way home, the boy and
sensei reviewed every move in each and every match.
Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was
really on his mind. "Sensei, how did I win the
tournament with only one move?" "You won for two
reasons," the sensei answered. "First, you've almost
mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of
judo. And second, the only known defense for that move
is for your opponent to grab your left arm." The boy's
biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.
"Sometimes we feel that we have certain weaknesses and
we blame god, the circumstances and our self for it
but we never know that our weakness can become our
strength one day. Each of us is special and important,
so never think you have any weakness, never think of
pride or pain, just live your life to its fullest and
extract the best out of it!"
fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating
car accident. The boy began lessons with an old
Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he
couldn't understand why, after three months of
training the master had taught him only one move.
"Sensei," the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be
learning more moves?" "This is the only move you know,
but this is the only move you'll ever need to know,"
the sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but
believing in his
teacher, the boy kept training.
Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his
first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily
won his first two matches. The third match proved to
be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent
became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his
one move to win the match. Still amazed by his
success, the boy was now in the finals. This time, his
opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced.
For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched.
Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee
called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when
the sensei intervened.
"No," the sensei insisted, "Let him continue." Soon
after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical
mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used
his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the
tournament.
He was the champion. On the way home, the boy and
sensei reviewed every move in each and every match.
Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was
really on his mind. "Sensei, how did I win the
tournament with only one move?" "You won for two
reasons," the sensei answered. "First, you've almost
mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of
judo. And second, the only known defense for that move
is for your opponent to grab your left arm." The boy's
biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.
"Sometimes we feel that we have certain weaknesses and
we blame god, the circumstances and our self for it
but we never know that our weakness can become our
strength one day. Each of us is special and important,
so never think you have any weakness, never think of
pride or pain, just live your life to its fullest and
extract the best out of it!"