Sometimes our biggest weakness
can become our biggest strength. Take, for example, the story of one 10-year-old
boy who decided to study Judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in
a devastating car accident.
The boy began lessons with an old
Japanese Judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn’t understand why,
after three months of training the master had taught him only one move.
“Sensei,” the boy finally said, “Shouldn’t I be learning more moves?”
“This is the only move you know,
but this is the only move you’ll ever need to know.” the sensei replied. Not
quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.
Several months later, the sensei
took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won
his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after
some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his
one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the
finals.
This time, his opponent was bigger,
stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be
overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a
time-out. He was about to stop the match when the sensei intervened. “No,” the
sensei insisted, “Let him continue.”
Soon after the match resumed, his
opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used
his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the
champion.
On the way home, the boy and
sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the
courage to ask what was really on his mind. “Sensei, how did I win the
tournament with only one move?”
“You won for two reasons,” the
sensei answered. “First, you’ve almost mastered one of the most difficult
throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defense for that move is for
your opponent to grab your left arm.”
The boy’s biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.
