Okinawa Living

President Theodore Roosevelt, of the “Rough Riders” fame, is quoted as saying that America should speak softly and carry a big stick.

Despite what you’ve seen in the movies, you shouldn’t carry a stick or a weapon of any kind, if you want to engender respect and be prepared to defend yourself.

You don’t need one. Your body and your mind provide you with the tools that are necessary for self-defense.

Karate means “empty hand,” signifying that you don’t need any objects beyond what you were born with, providing you learn to use your native tools, well.

During many subjugations of citizens, such as that which occurred in Okinawa, people were denied the use of swords and other devices; so they had to rely on themselves, and they trained in the use of their hands and feet.

Accomplished martial artists believe it is a sign of weakness and poor preparation to even have to use physical blows in self-defense, for these reasons:

(1) We should live in harmony with others and seek more cordial ways to manage conflict;

(2) We should recognize, first, in ourselves the stirrings of anger and rage, and quell them, before others are forced to do it for us; and

(3) We should be so attuned to our fellows that we can detect their hostilities before they feel them in themselves; and then reduce them through redirection of attention, through friendly gestures and actions; or by leaving their company, swiftly, without negative comment.

President Roosevelt might have been better advised to have said: “Speak softly, and you won’t have to carry a stick.”

Empty your hands, and your heart of negativity, and you won’t have to demonstrate your adversarial capabilities.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service, and the audio program, “The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable,” published by Nightingale-Conant. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC's Annenberg School, a Loyola lawyer, and an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He holds the rank of Shodan, 1st Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.