Lowering The Bar

I recently read and article on LinkedIn written by a captain in the United States Air Force. The headline reads something like, "I was able to join the Air Force because they lowered the standards." It's not the exact wording, but it is certainly the correct implication. The article doesn't really explain what standards were altered so that she could serve, but it sure got a lot of comments. I was surprised at the number of people who agreed that outdated, useless expectations were no longer necessary in today's military. You know, silly things like shining your boots, wearing the uniform appropriate for your gender, strict hair standards for men and women, etc. Not to mention certain physical requirements that not only allow for mission accomplishment, but ultimately could be the difference between life and death. Somewhere along the way, our military turned into an experiment in social justice rather that it's original purpose, which, by the way, is to protect sovereignty. That means it's not for everybody. It's not supposed to be all inclusive.

My kids will remember Sundays in our house being "uniform prep" day for me. I would put creases in my shirts and pants that could cut your skin, made sure my ribbons and accoutrements were in order, etc. And, I stripped and spit-shined my boots for the week. An old school tech sergeant once showed me how to use a lighter to burn the first layer of polish on. It would usually take me an hour or more to prepare everything, but it was worth it. I was in an environment where exceeding the standard was an expectation and the discipline required to pay attention to all of the little things impacted everything else I did. Details matter. Pushing ourselves to pay attention to detail builds discipline that shows itself in all facets of our lives. That same discipline is a part of martial arts training. Foot placement, posture, breathing, technique...all of those little details matter. Kata matters. How you wear your uniform matters. People could argue that none of those things determine the outcome of a fight. But the time and energy we spend to get the little things right mean the difference between life and death. Ask any surgeon.

Let's say you were selected to lead a team, like a high school football team, for example. Now, this team was has never had a serious string of wins. Over the years and generations of players, they just haven't been able to pick up enough steam for the championships. You've been selected to coach because of your background and perhaps, your history of winning games. But shortly after you begin trying to mold and shape a disciplined team, you notice a serious lack of discipline. Players show up late, forget to bring their gear, don't bring water to practice, etc. Maybe they don't have the respect to address you as, "coach." And most frustrating, you see the potential and raw talent some of these kids have, but you know it's going to be impossible to draw it out because you only have them for a little bit of time each day. You know they are influenced by a world that consistently allows for more and more deviation from the standard. They don't give a 100% of themselves...perhaps they've never been taught how. You know that some of their parents don't want them to suffer too much, maybe even tell you to back off of their son. Good luck, coach. It's a long road to the championships.

Victory never goes to the army, the team or the individual who refuses to give 100%. Never. And 100% means paying attention to details; the boring, mundane little things, the irritating things that all serve to build discipline. If you are a coach and you let your players slide for whatever reason, how successful do you think you'll be? Or, if you're a team leader and you have a deadline and your team has been tasked to put together a proposal to win over that million dollar client, how successful do think you'll be if everyone wants to collaborate from the comfort of their home, in their jammies on a laptop? The simple things like showering, shaving, putting on appropriate attire and knowing how to be social and productive in a group environment still matter.

If you happen to be a person of faith, do you think God more or less winks at our indiscretions and gives us a pass because, you know, we're all human? On the contrary, Jesus gives us God's standard in Matthew 5:48: "But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." He's not saying it's ok to show up late once in a while. He's not saying that you can have a pass to say whatever you want, watch whatever you want, do whatever you want. He expects 100% of us every day. That's where the bar is set. We will not and cannot meet that expectation, but we are expected to strive every day to try. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7 It's not just about your individual salvation; it is the impact that your faith, your actions, your character have on those around you. It matters. As insignificant as it seems, keep your boots shined every day. It matters.

In the realm of eternity, we are all here for a brief moment; a blip on the radar screen. A heartbeat. Maybe you believe that once the lights are out, that's it. Game over. Thanks for playing. Ok, well what kind game did you play? And then there's always that nagging question of what if you're wrong? I believe my actions, those that people see and especially the ones they don't see, matter. God sees. And when I fail to meet the standard, I can't see Jesus just shrugging his shoulders and saying, "Well, that's okay." That is not how you win a football game. It's not how you positively influence others. It's not how you fight the battle for your soul and help others to do the same. So...watch what you say and how you say it. Show up early. Don't give up the minute it gets uncomfortable. Push your body until it simply cannot do anymore. Realize that what you bring into your brain has to come back out eventually.

Take the time to make sure your uniform is in order. Shine your boots. It matters.

Dave Magliano

Tatsu Dojo

Jissenkan Budo

Dojo Cho