Information gathering can become a form of procrastination.
Do not spend so much time gaining knowledge that you fail to act.
Progress and growth are built on action.
Information, knowledge, and data are merely the foundation from which you can make intelligent decisions and take informed action.
Although it must be noted that sometimes the best information leads us to correctly choose inaction or a change of action, action is and should be the goal of information gathering because life is meant to be lived, not just studied.
Studying or researching so much that you never do anything is essentially a decision not to live.
Do the intellectual work.
Study and gather information as needed, but use the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding you gain to live a better life, not to hide from life.
When we see weakness, especially in those we claim to care about, we must choose whether we want to ignore it, exploit it, or support it.
We all have flaws, insecurities, and shortcomings.
None of us is anything close to perfect.
Even the strongest amongst us is weak in some way.
Sometimes we know how, why, and in what ways, but often there are aspects of ourselves that even we do not see, understand, or want to accept or admit exist.
If we spend enough time with someone, as we become familiar with their personality, character, and psychological, emotional, and behavioral patterns, certain truths begin to come to light.
We begin to see aspects of their character that they may wish were hidden, covered up, or of which they are not even aware.
Weaknesses begin to be exposed.
As this happens, as we become aware of another person’s flaws, insecurities, and shortcomings, as we see their weaknesses, we have to decide what we want to do with this intimate and powerful knowledge.
We can choose to ignore it as something that is none of our business and does not concern or affect us.
We can choose to exploit it, take advantage of it, or even attack it, using it as a tool of destruction.
Or, we can choose to support it, doing our best to make up for it in our own way, balancing out their weakness with our strength.
This is a decision that should not be taken lightly.
Holistic Budo: As it is in budo, so too it is in life. As it is in life, so too it is in budo.
Robert Van Valkenburgh is co-founder of Taikyoku Mind & Bodyand Kogen Dojo where he teaches Taikyoku Budo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
All photos by Robert Van Valkenburgh unless otherwise noted.
Meditations on God 