Sometimes your greatest weakness
can become your greatest strength. Take, for example, the story of one
10-year-old boy who 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 greatest weakness
had become his greatest strength. |