| Olympic athletes appear to actively enjoy participating in intense
competition. Similarly, entertainers and musicians seem to enjoy their
performances fully. Although they appear to be performing with ease, these
people must have shed blood, sweat and tears to reach the higher levels
of their professions. Behind the brilliant achievements that we see are countless unseen hours of dedicated practice and preparation. These steady efforts are the foundation of their professional success. People who have made names for themselves don't reveal the efforts they have made to get where they are. Although they have probably passed through hardships that ordinary people would not be able to endure, such people seem to have enjoyed these experiences. Real ability may only be developed by facing up to the hardships of intense practice, or in other words, by conquering ourselves. It is often said that our worst enemy lies within ourselves. Each of us has to fight against mental selfishness and laziness. For example, midway through practice we might feel like quitting. At such times, some of us are overpowered by the mind, while others overpower their minds and carry on. Unless we can continue to conquer ourselves day after day, we will never be able to become famous. Every day, we must do battle in a game against ourselves. And as in a tournament, we must keep on winning. That is, continue conquering ourselves. During a real game or competition, athletes must first conquer themselves and only then can they defeat their opponents. The same applies in any profession. The most important thing is people's attitudes to their work. If people work with a defeatist attitude, their lives will certainly end in failure. On the other hand, people who struggle to conquer themselves day after day will, without fail, be happy. |
| The minds of those who are continually self-defeated gradually become twisted. On the other hand, the faces of those who work to achieve mastery over themselves shine, and their minds are ever fresh and active. |