A few days ago I stumbled upon this Japanese phrase. Didn’t know what it meant until I started digging around. It’s one of the tenets of the Japanese martial arts, Aikido, that emphasises the idea that self-mastery is the only true victory.

Masakatsu - True victory & Agatsu - Self-victory

In other words, true victory is victory over oneself. So here’s my playbook for getting better each day.

Hit Send

Whatever it may be. Emailing prospects. Publishing articles. Posting stuff. Don't end up in a perpetual cycle of tweaking. Disobey that urge for perfection. Ignore the critics. Act now.

Wing It

You'll never be 100% prepared for everything. Think on your feet. Improvise. And learn as you go. You can’t make a perfect pot of soup on the 100th day if you spend the first 99 days planning.

Step Away

Get some distance between yourself and what you're doing. If you're stuck, do something else or just do nothing. Take a break. Feeling stressed, go for a walk. Do anything but work.

Say No

Saying yes to one thing is saying no to many things. But saying no to one thing is saying yes to many things. So weigh your options and choose wisely.

What Next

Always know what you'll be doing next. You don't wanna be scrambling for the next thing you should be working on. Create a list and strike ‘em off one by one.

Embrace Limitations

Of time, tools, budgets, and resources. This helps narrow the playing field so you can work effectively with what you have and not head out in a million different directions.

Accept Rejection

Whether in life or work, learn to accept rejection and move on. The sooner you get over it, the better. Your next opportunity could be just around the corner. Go grab it.

Ignore Doubt

Doubt has killed more dreams than failure ever will. When in doubt just do. You’ll never know if you never try.

Keep Improving

Just like physical exercise you gotta gradually increase the reps, increase the load. Keep pushing yourself. Blow past your limitations or what you thought was impossible.

Stay Humble

Don’t let your success, blind you. Or your failures, make you bitter. Keep your chin up and carry on.

That’s all folks. Hope you learnt a little if not a lot.

Masakatsu Agatsu!