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The Left Hand Path
20/03/2009
When I was younger I used to look at my martial arts heroes and think, ‘why are they so good at what they do? How did they get that good?’
It was only, several decades later, when I had reached the same heady platform that I understood: these were not players trying to squeeze professional results out of recreational hours. These were men and women who had chosen (yes, chosen) to make martial arts an employ. It was their job.
When they ran five miles early in the morning, it was a part of their job.
When they worked the punch bag for an hour a day, it was their work.
When they pushed weights, when they taught classes and when they scrimmaged on the judo mat it was their 9-5.
At some point during their life they took the decision to give up conventional work in order to perfect their martial art.
That is how they got so good.
If you imagine taking the eight hours (or ten or more) that you normally apportion to work, and placing that juicy chunk of time into playing guitar, or writing or sculpting or perfecting a martial art, how could you not get good? How could you not become great? And if you add to the equation ascending instruction how could you not, on forty hours a week invested into your passion, become world class?
When I tell people this, when I inform them that I gave up my job to train full time in the martial arts, that I later gave up martial arts to write books full time, and that later still I side-lined book writing to develop myself as a full time screen writer, they look at me as though I have just pissed on their boots, as though the very concept of eschewing conventional employment to follow a passion is unrealistic. But how can it be unrealistic? It is being done. I am not saying ‘I’m thinking of doing it.’ I did it, I am doing it still, I will continue to do it in the future.
This is a matter of record. It is an historical fact.
But I have responsibilities they say, I have children.
I had responsibilities. I had four children. All of them at school.
But I have a wife!
Really? What a coincidence, me too (or should I say me two).
What about my mortgage?
What about mine?
Look, I’m not saying that it is easy to be a full time passion chaser, and I am certainly not saying ‘do it now! This very minute, in one brave and fell swoop.’ I am not saying that. Not at all. That can work, and the in-the-deep-end approach suits some, even if it does not suit all. Most make the transition from paid employment to their passion-project gradually, increasing their commitment to the passion as they decrease their hours at work. I was thirty years old before I gave up (what is known in mythology as) the right hand path of convention for the left hand path of danger and excitement. And I didn’t do it in one go. It took me three attempts before I could finally let go of a regular wage and earn my living teaching martial arts. It was scary (exciting). I nearly filled my nappy on more than one occasion when I thought I might not make the mortgage. But man I have to tell you when I finally did make the transition proper and made my passion my employ it was amazing. I was running down the road at six in the AM thinking ‘this is my job!’ I was sparring with my mates thinking ‘this is my work!’ I was pushing weights, and training folk, and studying world martial arts from books, and tapes and magazines thinking ‘this is what I do for my living.’ And I also have to tell you (simply have to) that when I started training full time, eating, drinking and sleeping the stuff my standard when up faster than a rocket. And this was no lottery, this was no stroke of luck, this was a choice. My choice. I made a decision, I took action and I initiated a life change that still thrills me to this day. I have not worked a conventional job for over fifteen years. It was (still is) like being set free from a long prison term. And all the time I just kept thinking ‘why isn’t every one doing this?’
Of course you have to make sure that your passion really is your passion. It needs to be strong, don’t forget you will be doing it eight hours a day, (at least) and five days a week. You have to want it like a drowning man wants air; you have to be positively ravenous for it. And thinking that you are ravenous (watching from the side lines) is not the same as actually being ravenous.
If you are not sure then I’d say don’t give up the day job just yet. And if you think you are sure why not be really brave and give it a try.
You will never know until you do.
Be well.
Geoff Thompson
