Should you aim to be better than your teacher?

[sensei8]

No!!

I strive to be better today than what I was yesterday. I don't want to be better than anyone else because envy is as bad, if not worse, than jealousy.

What if, on your path to be better today than you were yesterday, you suddenly find you are better than your teacher? Do you cease your quest of self improvement foe fear of losing your humility? Would that not itself be an act of arrogance?

I should point out by the way that this is just me sharing philosophical musings as a thought exploration exercise. I don't believe there can be a definitive answer. Though I could be wrong even about that.

To the bold type above...

Who's to say that I'm better than my Sensei??

Me?? Yeah, that's very arrogant of me, and that's not me. Someone else?? While that's kind of them, it's quite assumptive of them.

My MA journey continues, irregardless, because my MA betterment requires it of me daily. What another MAist possess is for them; I can only be myself and not someone else.

I strive to be better across the board; I'm never satisfied with myself!! My Sensei said I was better, therefore, he promoted me over those many years, and if it had been left up to me, I'd still be a white belt; I'd be fine with that. If I was still that white belt after 53 years on the floor, I'd be fine with that too. And I'd still strive to be better today than I was yesterday!!

[OneKickWonder]

No!!

I strive to be better today than what I was yesterday. I don't want to be better than anyone else because envy is as bad, if not worse, than jealousy.

What if, on your path to be better today than you were yesterday, you suddenly find you are better than your teacher? Do you cease your quest of self improvement foe fear of losing your humility? Would that not itself be an act of arrogance?

I should point out by the way that this is just me sharing philosophical musings as a thought exploration exercise. I don't believe there can be a definitive answer. Though I could be wrong even about that.

To the bold type above...

Who's to say that I'm better than my Sensei??

Me?? Yeah, that's very arrogant of me, and that's not me. Someone else?? While that's kind of them, it's quite assumptive of them.

My MA journey continues, irregardless, because my MA betterment requires it of me daily. What another MAist possess is for them; I can only be myself and not someone else.

I strive to be better across the board; I'm never satisfied with myself!! My Sensei said I was better, therefore, he promoted me over those many years, and if it had been left up to me, I'd still be a white belt; I'd be fine with that. If I was still that white belt after 53 years on the floor, I'd be fine with that too. And I'd still strive to be better today than I was yesterday!!

Very valid points well made.

In all your years, when as you say your sensei said you were getting better so he promoted you, did you work really hard to perfect what he had shown you, to be able to do the techniques as well as him? Having tried your very best to replicate what your sensei had shown you, did you then stop, or did you keep on trying to further improve your technique?

[sensei8]

No!!

I strive to be better today than what I was yesterday. I don't want to be better than anyone else because envy is as bad, if not worse, than jealousy.

What if, on your path to be better today than you were yesterday, you suddenly find you are better than your teacher? Do you cease your quest of self improvement foe fear of losing your humility? Would that not itself be an act of arrogance?

I should point out by the way that this is just me sharing philosophical musings as a thought exploration exercise. I don't believe there can be a definitive answer. Though I could be wrong even about that.

To the bold type above...

Who's to say that I'm better than my Sensei??

Me?? Yeah, that's very arrogant of me, and that's not me. Someone else?? While that's kind of them, it's quite assumptive of them.

My MA journey continues, irregardless, because my MA betterment requires it of me daily. What another MAist possess is for them; I can only be myself and not someone else.

I strive to be better across the board; I'm never satisfied with myself!! My Sensei said I was better, therefore, he promoted me over those many years, and if it had been left up to me, I'd still be a white belt; I'd be fine with that. If I was still that white belt after 53 years on the floor, I'd be fine with that too. And I'd still strive to be better today than I was yesterday!!

Very valid points well made.

In all your years, when as you say your sensei said you were getting better so he promoted you, did you work really hard to perfect what he had shown you, to be able to do the techniques as well as him? Having tried your very best to replicate what your sensei had shown you, did you then stop, or did you keep on trying to further improve your technique?

I always try to improve myself beyond what my Sensei taught me as well as what he was teaching me; always with his guidance, after all, I'm his student!!

[OneKickWonder]

No!!

I strive to be better today than what I was yesterday. I don't want to be better than anyone else because envy is as bad, if not worse, than jealousy.

What if, on your path to be better today than you were yesterday, you suddenly find you are better than your teacher? Do you cease your quest of self improvement foe fear of losing your humility? Would that not itself be an act of arrogance?

I should point out by the way that this is just me sharing philosophical musings as a thought exploration exercise. I don't believe there can be a definitive answer. Though I could be wrong even about that.

To the bold type above...

Who's to say that I'm better than my Sensei??

Me?? Yeah, that's very arrogant of me, and that's not me. Someone else?? While that's kind of them, it's quite assumptive of them.

My MA journey continues, irregardless, because my MA betterment requires it of me daily. What another MAist possess is for them; I can only be myself and not someone else.

I strive to be better across the board; I'm never satisfied with myself!! My Sensei said I was better, therefore, he promoted me over those many years, and if it had been left up to me, I'd still be a white belt; I'd be fine with that. If I was still that white belt after 53 years on the floor, I'd be fine with that too. And I'd still strive to be better today than I was yesterday!!

Very valid points well made.

In all your years, when as you say your sensei said you were getting better so he promoted you, did you work really hard to perfect what he had shown you, to be able to do the techniques as well as him? Having tried your very best to replicate what your sensei had shown you, did you then stop, or did you keep on trying to further improve your technique?

I always try to improve myself beyond what my Sensei taught me as well as what he was teaching me; always with his guidance, after all, I'm his student!!

Is that not the same as trying to be better than your sensei, not in the sense that you are trying to be superior as a person, but better in terms of martial arts skill?

[sensei8]

No!!

I strive to be better today than what I was yesterday. I don't want to be better than anyone else because envy is as bad, if not worse, than jealousy.

What if, on your path to be better today than you were yesterday, you suddenly find you are better than your teacher? Do you cease your quest of self improvement foe fear of losing your humility? Would that not itself be an act of arrogance?

I should point out by the way that this is just me sharing philosophical musings as a thought exploration exercise. I don't believe there can be a definitive answer. Though I could be wrong even about that.

To the bold type above...

Who's to say that I'm better than my Sensei??

Me?? Yeah, that's very arrogant of me, and that's not me. Someone else?? While that's kind of them, it's quite assumptive of them.

My MA journey continues, irregardless, because my MA betterment requires it of me daily. What another MAist possess is for them; I can only be myself and not someone else.

I strive to be better across the board; I'm never satisfied with myself!! My Sensei said I was better, therefore, he promoted me over those many years, and if it had been left up to me, I'd still be a white belt; I'd be fine with that. If I was still that white belt after 53 years on the floor, I'd be fine with that too. And I'd still strive to be better today than I was yesterday!!

Very valid points well made.

In all your years, when as you say your sensei said you were getting better so he promoted you, did you work really hard to perfect what he had shown you, to be able to do the techniques as well as him? Having tried your very best to replicate what your sensei had shown you, did you then stop, or did you keep on trying to further improve your technique?

I always try to improve myself beyond what my Sensei taught me as well as what he was teaching me; always with his guidance, after all, I'm his student!!

Is that not the same as trying to be better than your sensei, not in the sense that you are trying to be superior as a person, but better in terms of martial arts skill?

Not for me!!

I never try, nor want, to ever be better than another person, but to only improve my MA betterment across the board.

I've never thought that about my Sensei, to be better or whatever than him in any shape, way, and/or form. Why?? He has his own abilities, of which, he partook of himself to provide the necessary efforts to help us, his students, find that which is within us in order that we can be better stewards of our own MA betterment and MA journey.

Like a father who wants the best for his children; to be better than himself, so did my Sensei, and so do I as the Sensei of my students, however, for me, that's what I want for my students, but that doesn't mean that my students, or his students, like myself, desire that.

I didn't come to learn from my Sensei so that I could be better than my Sensei. No!! I did come to learn from my Sensei how I can improve my MA betterment second by second, minute by minute, day by day, week by week, month by month, and year by year, but ONLY ABOUT MYSELF.

Our MA journey can be shared, nonetheless, our MA journey is extremely personal, in which in the end, we must be accountable to no one else but ourselves.

Imho!!

[OneKickWonder]

No!!

I strive to be better today than what I was yesterday. I don't want to be better than anyone else because envy is as bad, if not worse, than jealousy.

What if, on your path to be better today than you were yesterday, you suddenly find you are better than your teacher? Do you cease your quest of self improvement foe fear of losing your humility? Would that not itself be an act of arrogance?

I should point out by the way that this is just me sharing philosophical musings as a thought exploration exercise. I don't believe there can be a definitive answer. Though I could be wrong even about that.

To the bold type above...

Who's to say that I'm better than my Sensei??

Me?? Yeah, that's very arrogant of me, and that's not me. Someone else?? While that's kind of them, it's quite assumptive of them.

My MA journey continues, irregardless, because my MA betterment requires it of me daily. What another MAist possess is for them; I can only be myself and not someone else.

I strive to be better across the board; I'm never satisfied with myself!! My Sensei said I was better, therefore, he promoted me over those many years, and if it had been left up to me, I'd still be a white belt; I'd be fine with that. If I was still that white belt after 53 years on the floor, I'd be fine with that too. And I'd still strive to be better today than I was yesterday!!

Very valid points well made.

In all your years, when as you say your sensei said you were getting better so he promoted you, did you work really hard to perfect what he had shown you, to be able to do the techniques as well as him? Having tried your very best to replicate what your sensei had shown you, did you then stop, or did you keep on trying to further improve your technique?

I always try to improve myself beyond what my Sensei taught me as well as what he was teaching me; always with his guidance, after all, I'm his student!!

Is that not the same as trying to be better than your sensei, not in the sense that you are trying to be superior as a person, but better in terms of martial arts skill?

Not for me!!

I never try, nor want, to ever be better than another person, but to only improve my MA betterment across the board.

I've never thought that about my Sensei, to be better or whatever than him in any shape, way, and/or form. Why?? He has his own abilities, of which, he partook of himself to provide the necessary efforts to help us, his students, find that which is within us in order that we can be better stewards of our own MA betterment and MA journey.

Like a father who wants the best for his children; to be better than himself, so did my Sensei, and so do I as the Sensei of my students, however, for me, that's what I want for my students, but that doesn't mean that my students, or his students, like myself, desire that.

I didn't come to learn from my Sensei so that I could be better than my Sensei. No!! I did come to learn from my Sensei how I can improve my MA betterment second by second, minute by minute, day by day, week by week, month by month, and year by year, but ONLY ABOUT MYSELF.

Our MA journey can be shared, nonetheless, our MA journey is extremely personal, in which in the end, we must be accountable to no one else but ourselves.

Imho!!

More good points well made. Thank you.

[JazzKicker]

I honestly never thought of trying to be as good as, or better than, a teacher.

When you're first starting out, or you're learning something new, the teacher is giving you a new skill to learn. Eventually the instructor's job is to be more of a coach, giving you pointers or corrections to improve your performance. What's most important is their knowledge and ability to convey it, not whether they are more physically capable than you.

The best teachers I have known or had, their martial art was their life's work, their profession. Both their ability and knowledge reflected this level of dedication.

[DWx]

I think I'm going against the grain here... but yes, you should absolutely aspire to be better than your teacher. And as teachers you should absolutely want your students to strive to become better than you. It's not an ego thing. To me you should be inspired by your seniors and work as hard as you can to better yourself and try to bring yourself up to their level.

I think I've quoted this on KF before but this from Isaac Newton seems appropriate: "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants". To me the greatest thing you can give back to your style and honour those who taught you is to strive to make yourself better and build upon the foundation they gave you. Especially in this day and age when information can be shared so easily, you should always want to be better.

Let me flip the question the other way, if you are never better than your teacher, and your students are never better than you, doesn't the art just become diluted?

[sensei8]

I think I'm going against the grain here... but yes, you should absolutely aspire to be better than your teacher. And as teachers you should absolutely want your students to strive to become better than you. It's not an ego thing. To me you should be inspired by your seniors and work as hard as you can to better yourself and try to bring yourself up to their level.

I think I've quoted this on KF before but this from Isaac Newton seems appropriate: "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants". To me the greatest thing you can give back to your style and honour those who taught you is to strive to make yourself better and build upon the foundation they gave you. Especially in this day and age when information can be shared so easily, you should always want to be better.

Let me flip the question the other way, if you are never better than your teacher, and your students are never better than you, doesn't the art just become diluted?

To the bold type above...

Nope!!

Just how many MA styles have been diluted?? Many MA styles are STILL around!!

Again, who's to say that YOU/I/WHOMEVER is better than their Sensei?? Well, in my case, I suppose Soke would be better to make that determination if I'm better than Dai-Soke because Soke taught Dai-Soke.

My Governing Body?? NO WAY!! That would be an assumption that bears no fruit.

[OneKickWonder]

I think I'm going against the grain here... but yes, you should absolutely aspire to be better than your teacher. And as teachers you should absolutely want your students to strive to become better than you. It's not an ego thing. To me you should be inspired by your seniors and work as hard as you can to better yourself and try to bring yourself up to their level.

I think I've quoted this on KF before but this from Isaac Newton seems appropriate: "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants". To me the greatest thing you can give back to your style and honour those who taught you is to strive to make yourself better and build upon the foundation they gave you. Especially in this day and age when information can be shared so easily, you should always want to be better.

Let me flip the question the other way, if you are never better than your teacher, and your students are never better than you, doesn't the art just become diluted?

To the bold type above...

Nope!!

Just how many MA styles have been diluted?? Many MA styles are STILL around!!

Again, who's to say that YOU/I/WHOMEVER is better than their Sensei?? Well, in my case, I suppose Soke would be better to make that determination if I'm better than Dai-Soke because Soke taught Dai-Soke.

My Governing Body?? NO WAY!! That would be an assumption that bears no fruit.

There are sadly so many instructors around today that don't appear to understand the subtleties of the art they teach. Perhaps a good example of that is forms/kata. Someone understood the art at some time, yet how many teachers could apply kata effectively now? How many can even perform it in the original intended way? There are a handful of practitioners that are working to revive the original message through experimentation and study, but many care more about what it looks like to a panel of judges.