17
A Monk’s Character and Commitment
If I were dropped out of a plane into the ocean and told the nearest land was 1,000 miles away, I’d still swim. And I’d despise the one who gave up.
The greatest endurance athletes in the world are not even athletes—they’re Buddhist monks living on Mount Hiei in Japan.
For them, there is no competition to win, no competitor to beat, no trophy to hoist, and no lucrative contract to sign. The 1,000 marathons they complete over seven years are viewed as a meditation, not a competition. The goal is personal transformation and enlightenment—not just for themselves but for others as well.
What they ...
Get Elite Minds: How Winners Think Differently to Create a Competitive Edge and Maximize Success now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.