“Self-praise and over-confidence is a sickness that corrupts training.”

“Self-praise and over-confidence is a sickness that corrupts training.” – Hohan Sōken (1889-1982) Matsumura Seito Shōrin-ryū

Are you consumed by the desire to want other people’s grade or title?
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Comparing yourself to people around you is a trap you can easily fall into. But, trying to get ahead, or measuring your success in karate by comparing belts or grades with other people, is a dead-end that only leads to frustration, jealousy and sadness in the long run.
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If you call YOURSELF “master” or “sensei” you probably aren’t one. Come on… let go of that EGO!
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Now, if you teach karate and are using Japanese language in your dojo or school, then you should know how to use these titles.
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Being introduced as “sensei” is fine….. However, introducing and calling YOURSELF “sensei” is WRONG. Either you are ignorant of Japanese usage or extremely arrogant, or both. It’s as if you are trying to give yourself a title when you don’t have one.
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I’m not sure who is certifying and handing out certificates to people as “sensei”, but the idea of that seems to fly in the face of what the term is supposed to represent. It’s a word used to refer to others.
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Sensei is a term given by a student to their teacher. It’s NOT a label you give to yourself. You call somebody else a sensei….. NOT yourself.
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No matter what grade, style or title you possess, sensei is NOT a teaching title. Sensei is an honorific, like Mr. or Mrs.
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In Japan and Okinawa, it’s found amusing to them when westerners call themselves “sensei”. Calling yourself sensei doesn’t impress anyone….. In fact, you just look stupid.
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Stop sounding like a total amateur. If you have to demand respect you obviously haven’t earned it. ??
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“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” ~ C.S. Lewis

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