40 Lessons I Have Learnt in 40 Years of Martial Arts

By Hanshi Paul Zadro

1. Never sit on the fence, you will get shot by a peace keeper
2. Personal growth will only come if you truly commit yourself.
3. I can teach you anything except commitment. That is taught from birth.
4. Every child needs to learn to swim and learn to fight, everything else comes second.
5. True learning only comes once you reach Black Belt.
6. The rising tide lifts all boats; help others and you’ll help yourself.
7. A Black Belt is a White Belt that never quit!
8. The best students are the ones that are willing to test themselves in real competition.
9. Children will only assert themselves verbally if they are ABLE to assert themselves physically.
10. When you get to the top, don’t forget where you came from and who got you there.
11. Try 10 new things each year, if 3 of them work out, that’s a good year.
12. If you don’t try, you’ll never know for sure.
13. Not everyone needs to fight, but everyone needs to know how.
14. The only person you should do Martial Arts for, is yourself.
15. Practice creates habits, and habits make or break you.
16. Sometimes, doing less is better.
17. People tend to gravitate towards pleasure and away from pain.
18. To hear is to be deceived, to see is to doubt but to FEEL is to believe.
19. Good fruit doesn’t stay on the tree very long.
20. You can learn something from everyone if you listen long enough.
21. Being on time is being 10 minutes early.
22. Always try to train with the best person in the room.
23. You’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with.
24. The hardest part of Martial Arts is getting yourself to walk through the front door every day.
25. (24 – Part 2) But if you walk through the front door enough times, one day it becomes yours.
26. The best instructors I have met are rarely the best Martial Artists.
27. Without heart there is no life.
28. Martial Arts is not something you do for a day, a week or a year… you do it all your life!
29. More is always required
30. If you aren’t training 2-3 times per week, you’re going backwards.
31. Always give people a clear path of what is ahead.
32. Trust in God, but tie up your camels anyway.
33. Don’t underestimate the value of experience.
34. The mafia was successful because the boss always listened to his consigliere.
35. Sometimes it’s better to just do it and ask for forgiveness, than to ask for permission.
36. Your child is less fragile than you think they are.
37. History really is written by the winners.
38. If you say you can’t do something, you are usually right.
39. You can have whatever you want in life… if you help enough people get what they want.
40. Rule #1: Always listen to your instructor. Rule #2: Obey your instructor. Rule #3: When in doubt see rules 1 and 2.