JR 137
Grandmaster
Very well said. Add to that everyone starts as a white belt who knows practically nothing, and everyone wears the same plain white uniforms with the same patches.The martial arts should be the great leveler as in it matters not one jot what you do in the outside world The high powered corporate dude is just the same as the guy who sweeps the streets. What matters is what happens here and now and if the big high powered dude hasn't left the ego at the door then in effect not is he letting himself down but he is letting the dojo down as his social ranking means nothing ...what matters is what he can do there and then.
I have seen it change peoples attitudes to life (I really have) making people actually accept that you have to accept that you may not be the "top dog" and you may have to accept that the guy who you look down on in the outside world is in fact just as good, as he has parked the ego applying himself and is putting in the time.
A good instructor to me is the person that cultivates that environment (yes he is the "leader") and makes it a level field where all get what they want and all get to follow the path they choose