The Mushin Way to Peak Performance

Chapter 6 Irimi: To Enter

In this chapter, you will learn why it's so important to strike directly at the core of a difficult problem. You'll hear about how aikido is based on centripetal force and requires practitioners to get close to their opponents, and you'll learn what can happen when you fail to get close to the heart of a problem. You'll learn how to tell the heart of a problem from a distracting tangent, and you'll learn how to confront the problem of distraction in your own life.

The toughest aikido class I ever taught was a bunch of teenage girls. I'd been brought in to teach aikido at one of the most exclusive, private, all-girl high schools in Washington, DC. The girls in this school were straight out of the movie Mean Girls—privileged, entitled, ruling their own corner of the world.

I'm used to teaching high-achieving adults. In most of my classes, my students want to be there and are excited to learn. We tend to share a similar outlook on life. This class was different. This was a room full of teenage girls, ages 15 to 18, who were basically there just to get gym credit. This was a completely different challenge, and I wasn't prepared for it.

As a teacher, I am patient and encouraging, even as I set high standards and expect my students to exceed them. With highly motivated adults, this attitude works fine. With these high school students, it was a disaster. ...