Shoshin A Beginner’s Mindset

Shoshin a beginner’s mindset is a known philosophy of the mind that comes from Zen Buddhism. This powerful mindset will help you develop characteristics such as an open mindset , inquisitiveness and a lack of preconceptions. What this means is learning how to observe and absorb a new technique or new information just like a beginner would do. This is especially important if you are a more advanced martial artist. Shoshin is considered one the “Four Zen States of Mind” and they apply particularly well too martial arts. In previous posts I have explored 2 of the other states of minds Mushin and Zanshin.

 

By adopting this kind of mindset earlier on in your martial arts journey, it will put you on the right track to success. Especially when it comes to being open-minded, assumptions, fears and expectations. That you might have, about what training could look like on the road to self discovery. It’s easy to become disillusioned with something if you went into it with predetermined judgment. This could be the very  reason why so many people quit martial arts as a white belt. We all need to go to class with an open mind, a willing to listen and let go of anxious notions. Then anything is possible.

As a white belt, it’s easier to have a “beginner’s mind” because everything is new and exciting. That typically goes without saying. However, as we advance in ranks and we develop a deeper understanding and skillset. The mental roadblocks can begin to set in and we can start to become more closed-minded. The more expertise you have on a particular topic, the more we seem to block out any contradictory information. Especially if we if the feedback comes from those with less experience. Sometimes we seek out information that confirms or justifies our beliefs and behaviours instead of questioning them. This is why embracing Shoshin as an advanced martial artist is even more important than when you were a beginner.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you know everything there is to know about your chosen martial art or even broadening your horizons. However, stepping outside of our comfort zone and exploring new arts can be humbling and uncomfortable, but also incredibly rewarding. It’s essential to approach new adventures with shoshin a beginner’s mindset and to be open to new ways of thinking and moving.

It reminds me of the quote by Shunryu Suzuki, that states “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind, there are few,” This quote reminds us that having an open mind is crucial to growth and development.  There is no endgame to knowledge and experience, it’s all about the journey.

NEVER STOP LEARNING

Everyone is good at something be it sports, martial arts, school or employment. So why do only a small percentage of people go onto becoming great. You see It’s not a lack of ability that stops them, but a lack of motivation.

I have seen over the years that many people quit martial arts just after obtaining their black belt. They now feel they know everything but they’ve barely even scratched the surface. I was also told that getting your blackbelt is like getting your white belt all over again, as this is when the real training begins.

The problem is some practitioners develop an ego once get their Blackbelts while others remain humble. The ones with an ego can think this label means their opinion is fact and they fail to listen to new ideas. However the ones who remain humble want to keep on learning, all while inspiring others.

Think about this. Let’s say you’re exceptional at what you do but there’s still so much more you could learn. Even if you are the best martial artist in the world, can you raise the bar even higher for those who you are setting an example for ? Beware of the Dunning-Kruger effect. Many people vastly overestimate their cognitive abilities. They use their inflated sense of intelligence as proof they don’t need to learn anymore. I know there is not a person on Earth who you could not teach me something. Knowledge isn’t a competition; it’s a power that everyone can win.

CONQUER YOUR SELF – DOUBT

A beginner’s mind does not mean being impacted by self-doubt. Some people become terrified of learning new things due to the fear of failure.

I remember when I first started martial arts when I was a teenager and I was scared to start because I thought I would embarrass myself.

Remember everyone feels this way in the beginning. None of us are perfect. None of us ever will be. But that is ok! Yet we are all have the ability to continue to adapt, learn and grow. You must accept you might fail but you need to have the confidence to know you will get right back up.

How often do you find in the dojo that your sensei would ask if anyone had any questions or if they understood the technique shown and no one would say a word? Did everyone really understand everything? Were they afraid to ask questions and admit we didn’t understand. In the fear they would look uncool in front of your peers ? Asking questions is vital to apply Shoshin a beginner’s mindset not only in martial arts but also in life.

One of my instructors would often say to me that I was like a sponge, because the more information I was given the more I wanted.  I love getting constructive feedback and would often ask multiple people the same questions, so could get different opinions.

A beginner’s mind doesn’t mean you need to retreat into your shell. It is simply means being open to new ideas and being willing to challenge what you already know.

Believe in yourself and your ability to grow. Letting go of the need to be flawless gives you space to develop without the guilt.

 

LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS

 

Unfortunately we have come to see the world as black and white. There are many paths to achieving greatness and we can all learn something  new from each other. Two people can have completely different methods of executing a self defence technique and yet still get the same results.

Loyalty is a big part in martial arts. People often believe their style is the best and bad mouth any other martial arts practices. It’s ironic because many of the true masters in martial arts are also experts in a combination of styles. When you accept that nobody is perfect and if you begin to listen to different people’s points of view, you can find what methods or advice works best for you.

In Karate whenever I sparred anyone, I’d always observed my opponents to find out what strategy they would use for me. Gaining more insight for next time, if sometimes I tried a technique that would not work due to size difference. I would ask what would they do in the same situation, especially if this was against a guy. As in a real life self defence scenario this is who I’m going to defend against.

I would also test out my techniques with a variety of practitioners smaller, larger, shorter and taller as a way of understanding which techniques would be most effective in a self defence situation. When you think you’ve mastered a technique or combination then try another. Be an expert in multiple methods so you can use the right tools at the right time.

Never be a one-trick pony because will be easy to work out when sparring or doing takedowns.

SHOSHIN IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS 

Shoshin a beginner’s mindset can also be applied to relationships. We can sometimes convince ourselves that a person has acted with specific intentions despite having no evidence! The concept of Shoshin means that we listen and try to understand others and being open to accepting responsibility. As a practice exercise, think about the last argument you had. Try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes and think about what their arguments were and whether any of them could be valid.

The majority of people in the world are not out to maliciously hurt you. When you approach a conversation with this type mindset then what do you expect to ever learn. Even well intentioned people will have a difference of opinion, formed by their knowledge and values. Unless you are in a debate competition at school, your aim doesn’t need to be to win. Even if you didn’t agree  with their arguments, you get an insight into the way they think. Isn’t understanding others better a good way to grow?

KAIZEN

Kaizen is the concept of continuous improvement in everything you do in your life time. This is where simply being 1% better every day leads to massive improvement over time. It can be easy to accept you’re stuck because you think you need take massive steps to get better. We tend to think of knowledge as discrete. You either know how to throw powerful strike or you don’t. Yet there is a vast spectrum of abilities and those who already know how to punch can get to make their technique better.

Some people don’t take advantage of Shoshin because they do not understand Kaizen. For more detail click on the following link to read my comprehensive article  Achieving Mastery Through Kaizen

 EMBRACING YOUR JOURNEY IN MARTIAL ARTS

Curiosity is an underrated skill. A practitioner who loves enhancing their knowledge is a person who will never stop growing! We’ve been conditioned to come up with S.M.A.R.T. goals and objectives. But what if you just got better because you loved learning?

The problem with strict goals is if you reach them, you think you’re done. If you don’t then you think you’re a disappointment. If I had a goal right now, it would be to look back every year on my previous self and be shocked at how much I didn’t know.

After reaching the higher ranks, I stopped caring about the colour of my belt or what rank I was . Because I was only  concerned with learning more, not just self defence but gaining as much knowledge about a variety of different styles and philosophies.

Remember it is easy to show Shoshin a beginner’s mindset at the start of your martial arts journey. But can you still show it when you’re an expert?

 

FINAL THOUGHTS ON SHOSHIN A BEGINNERS MINDSET 

 

 

Shoshin is the beginner’s mind. It’s a way of thinking where we let go of our biases. This allows us to learn much faster.

• Let go of your ego — you don’t need to prove how competent you are all the time.
• Conquer self-doubt — it’s ok to fail just never give up. Keep what information is useful and discard what isn’t.
• Seek opposing views — You can’t learn if you do the same thing over and over again. Experiment with different methods.
• Bring to personal relationships — Don’t trick yourself into thinking you have someone worked out. People are complex and work with them to understand.
• Kaizen — Small improvements over time become huge improvements.
• Make the world a better place — Listen to others and try to build bridges not tear each other apart.
• Enjoy the journey — Enjoy learning and testing yourself and improvement will come naturally. Don’t set artificial goals.

In Budō the practitioner is advised to retain shoshin throughout their training and practice of the martial arts; it is not reserved only for those beginning to practice but is maintained even when reaching the higher levels of mastery.

In conclusion, a person’s ignorance will always outgrow their education. The more a person learns, and becomes wise, they more they become aware of how much they don’t know. And the more they learn, they see the power of the unknown and therefore continue to grow. This is the martial arts secret to unlocking shoshin a beginner’s mindset.