Okay so this may seem like a strange title for a post on my Judo Blog… But I want to wrap up this year with a bit of perspective.

In a way, this is really a followup to my previous post on the Zen of Judo (Aka, freaking relax!)  Judo class last night was really great.  Not only did Mike manage to fix my back, which has been hurting for a month, but I actually feel that I did really well.

What’s funny is why I did well… My back was hurting so bad last night that I really didn’t feel I had anything to prove.  Just the fact that I was on the mat, fighting, seemed accomplishment enough.  That relaxed attitude, that easing up of self pressure, that being comfortable in my own skin, really helped me to do well.

I find that same thing in business.

Look at my picture on this post… I’m not skinny.  I’m not young.  My hair is graying.  But that’s who I am.  I’m cool with it.  In business there are things I am great at.  I negotiate contracts better than almost anyone.  I strategize and architect technical solutions well.  I get along well with the people I work with, and inspire positive energy and extra effort.

But guess what… I am not always the most detail oriented on long term projects.  I often forget, or run late to meetings.  I don’t always show all employees the level of “love” they need.  I am an analytical person… I can tell you how to get traffic to your website, but I am not that great at telling you what to make the site look like.

But guess what… that’s who I am!  If I come to grips with those things, and can admit them to myself rather than hating myself for not being perfect, then I can begin to make myself valuable in spite of them.  Some of my weakness can be helped with tools (Outlook calendar and phone reminders for meetings.)  Others can be overcome by surrounding me with people who are good at what I am not, and perhaps I am good at what they are not.  If I am comfortable with, happy with, and yes, even proud of who I am, and can identify and be cool with my shortcomings, then I can be oh so much better.

Back to Judo… I am not fast.  Am not not nimble.  I have a good innate feeling of “balance” (or Kazushi in Judo), am strong, have a good base.  These are assets I can use.  But even more importantly, I am not a world master.  I will get thrown sometimes.  If I am okay with that, and not sparring out of fear, and being so aggressive that I put myself in a bad spot just so I can win, or so defensive that I accomplish nothing because I am afraid to lose, then I will never function at my potential.

Anyway… that’s my insight for today for what it’s worth… from an overweight, blading, graying, but still ruggedly handsome, and funny as hell Judokan.

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