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crazy job this is, I remember
thinking, as I sat down for a moment to let the energy subside. And as I did,
my mind flashed back to a time when Leo-tai once described the Mental Warrior
to me . . .
    We were walking in the hills,
he leading as usual, with that untiring pace that sometimes even I had trouble
keeping up with . . . It was hot, and I enjoyed the breeze as we climbed higher
and the humidity began to drop.
    When we finally reached the top
of the trail we stopped, rested, and admired the view as he told me what he had
planned to tell me.
    “Danielsan,” he said, “In order
to become a Mental Warrior, you must learn to recognize the Mental Warrior; you
must understand where the training takes you.”
    He had my undivided attention.
    This is what he told me:
“Mental Warriors cannot be intimidated.  Their self-confidence is too deeply
rooted to be shakeable.  They arrive on the scene to dominate.  They love to
compete; competing energizes them.  They repel negative thoughts; they control
their internal environment. They know how to remain focused under even the most
challenging conditions.”
    He told me: “Mental Warriors
make it a point to be ready.  They've learned to manage pressure; they never
fail to keep moving forward.  They refuse to lose, they’ll never quit, and they
will patiently work to find a solution, to find a way to win.  Mental Warriors
cannot accept not trying.”
    Leo-tai went on: “Mental
Warriors are goal oriented. They know what they want to do and set out to
achieve it.  Their dreams and goals motivate them to excel.  They are
dedicated. They know how to control their emotions so as to not allow them to
sabotage their own performance.  Mental Warriors never lose their composure and
self-control in the heat of battle.”
    “Most of all, Mental Warriors
are brave, Danielsan, they have heart. They have the courage and inner strength
to achieve their full potential.  They understand the power of imagination,
concentration, and consistency.”
    He closed his lesson that day
by reminding me that the only way that one could ever become a Mental Warrior
was by practicing what the Art teaches.
     
    Remember:  One must practice
in order to become.
     
    The
Art of Mental Training

Chapter 9:  Controlling Anger
     
    “Let’s review, Danielsan,” he
told me as we sat down. Sometimes after a workout we’d drink some tea and enjoy
the view from his simple patio overlooking the coastline.
    “At this point you understand
that—whether positive, negative, or anywhere in between—all emotions are
created by what we are thinking.  You understand that the stronger the warrior
is able to build his self-belief system the better. You understand that
self-belief, a good attitude, confidence, and positive self-talk are what “get
things going.”  You understand that emotions affect performance.  So if bad
emotions arise, you understand there are ways you can learn to control their
impact on your performance.  Right?”
    “Roger that.”
    He gave me an odd look.
    “Yes,” I corrected.
    “Good. Then you also know how
imagery, focused breathing, and relaxation all help to give us a mental edge over
the competition.”
    “Very tricky,” I teased him.
    “Be serious now, Danielsan, and
pay close attention, because today we must talk about anger . . . We all get
angry; this is normal.  Yet you must always remember that if the warrior does
not control his anger it will always end up controlling him. And when that
happens, victory will be much more difficult. You see, anger is an emotional
response.  Before the emotion is allowed to take control, the warrior must
redirect its energy. Real champions work to develop an ability to control their
anger so that it cannot hurt their performance.”
    I grappled with this: “Do you
mean that they end up no longer feeling this kind of emotion?”
    “Not at all.  I mean that they
have learned how to channel such an emotion so that it won’t