Axiom 66: True Victory is Victory Over Oneself

"Eight forces sustain creation:

Movement and stillness

Solidifcation and fluidity

extension and contraction

unification and division"

-Morihei Ueshiba

Success in life is usually a result of mastering the same types of skills that a black belt in martial arts exhibits. If you have ever practiced martial arts you will probably recognize that many of the previous Axioms are present in martial arts.

Here is a list of just a few of the skills that a black belt in martial arts will have mastered:

• Self-Discipline
• Patience
• Respect
• Humility
• Calmness
• Power Over Earthly Desires
• Controlling One's Energy
• Meditation
• Concentration
• Observation
• Honestly
• Integrity
• Finding One's Path
• Control Over One's Body & Mind
• Timing
• Reflexes
• Controlling the Energy of Others
• Perfection through Repetition
• Goodness
• Hard Work
• Positive Thinking

These are just a few of the important things that a martial arts master will excel in to become unbeatable. However, there is one final skill they possess that is key to making it all work: synergy. It is the ability to put many skills together and execute them together consistently that makes them so great.

If you have read the previous Axioms and practiced them you must now start to think of them as a whole instead of individual skills. While you may find some success mastering a few individual skills you will never achieve greatness unless you know how to put all of your skills together at once.