One Move

In a devastating car accident, a 10-year-old boy lost his left arm. Refusing to let this unfortunate incident dictate the course of his life, he decided to take on the challenge of learning judo.

The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. He was doing well, but he could not wrap his head around his judo master’s approach to teaching.

Why, after three months of training, was the master still teaching him only?one move?

“Sensei,”(Teacher in Japanese) the boy finally said, “Shouldn’t I be learning more moves?”

“This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you will ever need to know,” the sensei replied.

Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.

Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches.

The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals.

This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the sensei intervened. “No,” the sensei insisted, “Let him continue.”

Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament.

He was the champion!

On the way home, the boy and sensei reviewed every move in every match.

The boy summoned the courage to ask what was on his mind - “Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?”

“You won for two reasons,” the sensei answered. “First, you have almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defence for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm.” Finally, the boy learned that his biggest “weakness” had become his biggest strength.

Simple yet profound, this story struck a chord with me because of how beautifully it emphasizes the importance of :

? Having a mentor.

? Developing a solid skill.

? Knowing what is one’s uniqueness.

The story starts with the boy’s brave decision to learn judo despite his physical challenge. This act of courage marks the beginning of his journey towards victory. Next, he finds the right mentor. The mentor is not only highly skilled, but he also has the insight to look at his protege's disability as his uniqueness and think of a way to find the single best move for him to master. He helps the boy focus on "one thing" and ensures he gets so good at it that he is ready for the championship.

While each of these three aspects—mentorship, skill development, and understanding our uniqueness — is important, when these three elements align effectively, the outcomes can be truly remarkable. The story serves as a reminder that success often lies not in trying to do everything, but in mastering the essentials and leveraging one's distinctiveness to create impact.

Here are three reflective questions, inspired by this story :

1. Do you have a mentor or guide helping you shape your journey?

2. What are the one or two key skills you are focusing on mastering?

3. How are you using your unique abilities to differentiate yourself in your professional and personal endeavours?

Wishing you a great week ahead!

Credits:

1) Story : https://purposefocuscommitment.medium.com

2) Picture : Pexels Kampus Production