I enjoy sushi. I remember the first time I tried it. I was in St. Louis training at Matt Hughes’ (UFC legend) gym, and in between sessions, we went out for sushi. It was a nice first experience. Years later, I would enjoy sushi with my strength and conditioning coach, Don Messing, who unexpectedly passed away in 2012. We would go out for sushi after training to relax and decompress. He would eat an entire sushi boat by himself. Present day, my wife and I enjoy sushi with her best friend on a regular basis. Sushi has a nice place in my heart.
For a few years, I’ve been hearing about a documentary called Jiro Dreams of Sushi. It’s about a world-renowned sushi chef, Jiro, who has thrown complex sushi dishes out the window and focused his efforts on perfecting a limited selection of dishes. He has spent a lifetime perfecting his craft, rather improving his craft, as he never expects it to be perfect. He pays especially close attention to detail and has a mentoring program that lasts a decade. The simplicity of his operation is remarkable. We’ve often heard the adage, “jack of all trades, master of none.” Well, Jiro is a master of one trade; he’s the best master in the world at that trade.
When I sat down to watch the documentary, I had limited hopes. How applicable could a movie about sushi be to my life?
Well, it turned out to be perfectly applicable. I reflected on my training and points of focus at different times in my career. Should I have done more here and less there? Should I have focused more on building on my strengths rather than building on my weaknesses? Was there too much going on at different times to become fully proficient at any one thing? I truly don’t know the answer, but I’m open to a deep dive in order to learn and apply to future endeavors.
We all start out as babies, worrying about nothing at all. Then we get to school and encounter some blips in the radar. Soon, we are high schoolers being prepped for the future, a future we know nothing about. All of a sudden, we’re 40 and have a family and mortgage and bills and health problems and wonder how the heck we got here. We are focused on everything and nothing at all.
Let’s learn a lesson from Jiro. Slow down. Identify what’s most important in your life. Focus your time and energy on perfecting those things. Trim the rest.
After all, does it really matter who posts what and when they post it???
Spaniard
Another great post. Like your insights and outlook. Been reading of Rhonda Rousey’s candid comments on her emotional reaction to her loss. Interesting to think about finding a balance between having a self-image built around being a winner versus preparing or handling the inevitability of loss in life. Wonder what others think.
As a professional fighter, I can relate to that feeling of total void and emptiness. That’s why it’s so extremely important to have a solid team (literally and figuratively) around you.