- The Battle With Yourself
- Archery in the Dark
- Everything is Aiming
- The Enemy of Improvement
- The Art of Zenshin in Everyday Life
The Battle With Yourself
Eugen Herrigel, a German professor, moved to Japan in the 1920s. He traveled to the city of Sendai, a few hours northeast of Tokyo, to teach philosophy at a university.
Herrigel started studying Kyudo, the Japanese martial art of archery, in order to broaden his knowledge of Japanese culture. Awa Kenzo, an elite archer, was his teacher. Kenzo took this idea a step further, believing that beginners should learn the fundamentals of archery before attempting to shoot at an actual target. Herrigel's only target during the first four years of his training was a roll of straw that was seven feet away. In response to Herrigel's complaint about the extremely slow pace, Herrigel's teacher answered, "The way to the goal is not to be measured! Of what importance do weeks, months and years have?
His performance was awful when Herrigel was eventually allowed to fire at further away targets. The arrows missed their target and with every miss, he felt more defeated. In one especially humiliating session, Herrigel claimed that his aim must be the issue. Kenzo, on the other hand, turned to face his pupil and replied that the way one approached the task determined the result, not whether one aimed. Herrigel became furious at this response and blurted, "Then you ought to be able to hit it blindfolded." After pausing for a short time Kenzo said, "Come to see me this evening."
Archery in the Dark
The two men went back to the practice hall's courtyard once nightfall had arrived. Kenzo moved to where he usually shot, only this time the target was covered by shadows. The archery master performed his usual actions, taking aim, drawing the bow string tight and firing the first arrow into the night. Later on, Herrigel wrote, "I knew from the sound that it had hit the target." Without delay, Kenzo pulled out another arrow and shot into the darkness once more. Kenzo could not see the target, but he had hit a double bullseye.
Everything is Aiming
Expert archers frequently teach the lesson that "everything is aiming." The final outcome is determined by your foot placement, bow grip and breathing technique when releasing the arrow. Awa Kenzo was a master archer who was so aware of the steps involved in making a precise shot that, even in the absence of an outward target, he was able to duplicate the precise sequence of internal movements. Zanshin is the total awareness of the body and mind in connection to the objective.
In Japanese martial arts, the term "zanshin" is frequently used to describe a relaxed alertness state. Zanshin, when translated literally, means "the mind without remainder." Stated differently, the mind was totally engaged in the task at hand and totally focused on action. Zanshin is being mindful of your environment, body, and mind at all times without putting yourself under undue stress. It is vigilance done effortlessly.
However, zanshin has a deeper meaning in practice. Zanshin is the decision to intentionally live a purposeful life as opposed to blindly allowing everything that comes your way.
The Enemy of Improvement
"Tighten your helmet after winning the battle," goes a well-known Japanese proverb.
In other words, winning does not mean that the fight is over. The only times the struggle is over are when you give up, become inactive, and stop to be attentive. The act of maintaining awareness throughout life, even in the absence of goal achievement, is zanshin.
This is a philosophy that applies to many aspects of life:
- Writing: Once a book is published, the struggle is far from over. It ends when you stop seeing yourself as a work in progress and lose the diligence required to keep improving your craft.
- Fitness: Reaching a PR does not mean the fight is over. It comes to an end when you become distracted and miss workouts, or when you overtrain and lose perspective.
- Entrepreneurship: The battle does not end when you make a big sale. It ends when you get cocky and complacent.
Success or failure is not the enemy of improvement. Fatigue, inattention and boredom are the enemies of progress. Because the process is everything, a lack of commitment to it is the enemy of improvement.
The Art of Zenshin in Everyday Life
“One should approach all activities and situations with the same sincerity, the same intensity, and the same awareness that one has with bow and arrow in hand.”
The world in which we live is fixated on outcomes. Similar to Herrigel, we often focus excessively on whether the arrow reaches its target. Hitting the bullseye is merely a byproduct if, on the other hand, we put that much passion, attention and sincerity into the technique, where we place our feet, hold the bow and breathe as we release the arrow.
It is not important to focus on hitting the target. The idea is to embrace every step of the process and develop a deep affection for the boredom that comes with working. The idea is to seize the moment of zanshin - a state of total awareness and concentration and keep it with you at all times throughout your life.
The target is not important. The finish line is not important. What counts is how we go about achieving the objective. Everything is aiming.
