Budo Institut - "The people are strong enough for the truth"

After ten years of japanese relationship and eleven years of having my own dojo it is time to take a review.
And I am happy.
I remember that guy from 12 years ago. We, my former partner in life and me, struggled very much opening our first institute.
Like always in Austria the banks made the biggest problems.
She went ALL-in and finally the instute was financed.
She was the bravest person I ever met.
And there was that guy, a lawyer from a big lawfirm in Vienna, who said.
“Well, this is all no problem, this is so less money we can pay that from your petty cash.”
For us it was a huge amount. He never gave us a single penny.
Then there where the other people, who offered help in case we needed it.
They never came.
What I want to point out is that I have learned a lot from the last eleven years.
I learned that you should only communicate, trust and discuss things with people, who go the same way, or at least are emphatic enough to understand your fears.
When I said that I shit my trousers of becoming professionals, they laughed at me and said “You are so young don’t worry.”
They never went professional, they never opened their own business, they never struggled with the banks, they never went All-in.
They are all cowards.
In the real meaning of the word.
But once you made the step there is no way back. Like jumping in the sea and suddenly the drift puts you away.
It takes years. And like nearly ALL people, who made this step and became successful afterwards, there is one more thing to endure.
The BREAK DOWN.
You are full of energy, you put everything in your dream, you take too much care about the little things, it is your baby and suddenly ..BOOM
Reality kicks in.
Then you realize, you are not a manager, you are not a businessman, you highly overestimated yourself.
“But I just wanted to be a professional budoka, nothing else!” Well, you should have thought about that before.
No matter if you are one of these martial artists, or Chefs, one of these artists, one of these lawyers or anyone, who went ALL-in and left the security and comfort zone of being employed and therefore getting 14 wages the year, having holidays, and being insured,
and then fully broke down.
WE STOOD UP AGAIN!
Wiser, more calm, more relaxed, more clear in mind, more focussed, more ourselves.
We appreciate all the help we get, We are always thankful for those, who had been there to help.
We are happy now.
And nobody can change that anymore.
We went through the valley of tears. Like Buddha says “We kissed the floor with our palms looking up”
We did not loose our self esteem, we got rid of our pride.
We did not start to live in fear, we got rid of our overestimation.
We did not loose our love, we got rid of our envy.
We did not loose our fun, we got rid of our heteronomy.
And once all this is done, you find the right people at the right time.
Today there are still these trolls from the past.
They still need to define their lifes through others in criticising them, pointing with fingers.
In fact they are constantly comparing themselves to you.
They are cowards because they not to enter your battlefield. The field of freelancer, the field of professionalism.
What I have learned over the last decade is that gentle regular people, with daily jobs but with empathy, are wise and clever enough to understand value.
Value in what someone is doing. Value in work, value in effort.
So in time all the naysayers, the little cowards, who throw at you from behind, the ones, who want to keep you calm, they all unmask themselves at some point.
“Who spits in heaven, it will fall back on you” my master always says.
Two messages:
do not care about them so much, go on they are already behind you
if you have these trolls you can be sure that you are on the right track, because it is only jealousy what drives them
We did everything Soke asked us for. We did not forget one single thing.
We did what was good for the school.
We did what was good for the tradition.
We did what only professionals can do.
Dedicate your life.
The value is undeniable.
You will see it.
And if you are just at the beginning. If you are motivated and brave. If you are just at the step to go.
GO!
MOVE!
Everything will work out fine. Take your guts and go for it.
Make a stand.
YOU can do it.
YES exactly YOU!
WHY?
WHO CARES?
I am proud of you, that you are willing to risk. You are the one, who is making a difference!
Arigatou gozaimasu