"Any fool can know! The point is….. to understand!"

 

Posted by ADAM CARTER on JAN 02, 2023

"Any fool can know! The point is….. to understand!"

 

Is knowledge really power?

There is more knowledge, information, and ideas available today to make your martial arts better than ever. But hundreds of people are still not improving even with everything we know.

To acquire this knowledge, you just have to use the internet, or signup for Apps using the advice of experts. The internet will be able to teach you everything and anything. Knowledge is power that can be easily acquired by trading your time, but does that mean you should invest your time acquiring it?

It’s natural to feel the need to acquire more and more information because you think you don’t know enough. But the information that you acquire and don’t use will fade away with time. How fast and how much you lose, will depend on how much time you take to apply it.

To avoid this you should either learn things only when you need it, or start applying what you learn as soon as you can. Remember, you do not need to know everything, but you need to be taking action every time you learn something new, otherwise it will quickly fade away if you don’t use it.

Knowledge is power, but without action is useless….. and knowing is not understanding. The difference between knowledge and action is your mindset.

Action is the key. Application of the right knowledge is everything, and understanding how and when to apply knowledge is wisdom!

The “power” from knowledge comes in the application of what you learned.

I recall a 2nd dan from a different style of karate who wanted to train with me saying that; “I know all your kata”. Apparently he viewed them on YouTube. Is this “knowledge” enough?

It can definitely help, especially with getting hints, tips and how to (directions). But no one can really learn a new skill deeply by watching a video. You really have to put what you’ve seen into practice before you know the skill has been learned and understood.

One potential pitfall to avoid when it comes to knowledge acquisition and application occurs when the knowledge gained appears to be too simplistic. This is often seen when a student or instructor (as above), has viewed the information from a book or from YouTube.

While the practitioner will be able to walk through the movements, subtle nuances will be missed, perhaps concentrating on techniques instead of principles, with the various applications left out, and mistakes often become habitual…… and the curse of this knowledge? Is indecision (freezing) when its needed.

True knowledge is the accumulation of information that you really understand, which allows your martial arts to be effective….. and effectiveness is the functional application of a skill.

Therefore, knowledge is power only when you truly understand and apply it, effectively. In truth it is the “application” of knowledge that is power….. and remember, a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.

“Any fool can know! The point is….. to understand!”

 Photo Credit: Freepik.