“Control your ego properly because the true enemy is inside yourself and this is the toughest opponent to beat.” ??
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Have you checked your ego lately? Keeping ego in check means we must examine who we are, what we want, how we treat others, and our overall actions. Keep self-importance under control:
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Who are we: Are we positive toward others and happy about their success; or, jealous or envious of what others have or do?
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What we want: Do we seek personal fulfillment and success by giving one hundred percent; or, do we chase success at the expense of others?
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How we treat others: Are we respectful of others opinions and value their knowledge; or, do we demand, judge, or demean others contributions?
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Our actions: Do our actions speak louder than words; or, do we avoid actions altogether and hope we can convince others of our greatness?
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If you are a martial artist and your years of experience or number of stripes on your belt have given you a sense of elevated self-belief, then the ego monster has found a foothold. Look inside yourself. Return to why you sought out martial arts in the first place. Control your ego, let it go, be humble. ??
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? Photo courtesy of gdayjapan featuring Kenyu Chinen & Kevin Chaplin