Often when you watch a karate tournament you will notice in the sparring segments that the competitors with the superior techniques are not always the ones who win the matches. A competitor who receives a minor injury during a match, for example, will suddenly become hesitant to attack, and, despite possessing superior skills, may lose even if the physical effects of the injury were negligible. Similarly, an exceptionally aggressive competitor can win more than his or her fair share of matches just relying on this trait alone.
This illustrates how matches can often be won or lost even before the competitors enter the ring. We are all aware of the importance of training hard and practicing our techniques before competition, but we sometimes forget a crucial aspect of our preparation; motivation, or the will to win.
The importance of motivation in preparing for any activity is illustrated by the Japanese word, yoi, which means “ready.” The first ideogram, yo, means “use” or “utilize,” while the second, i, means “will” or “motivation.” To be prepared is to be motivated.
There is a very well-known aspect of karate training in which the proper preparation of your will and motivation are crucial for success: breaking such items as boards and bricks with your bare hands. This is not difficult, really, even a child can punch and split a board in two with just a bit of guidance. Success does, however, require firm belief that your chosen object is breakable. A shred of doubt will keep you from success, and even cause serious injury, but if you firmly grasp an unshakeable belief that you can do it, you’ll find the board or even brick is surprisingly fragile. A crucial part of preparation, then, is your mind.
The ideogram i for motivation is made up of the radical kokoro for “heart” or “mind,” and on, which in this case means “to force.” This means that motivation is something we force into our mind. This is an image which can serve you well in karate. When you are facing competition in karate, for example, you should visualize this motivation swelling in your heart, and release it, along with all your energy, at the outset of the match.
In karate, you will hear the word yoi before sparring, the performance of a KATA, and even simple calisthenics during warm up. This is the way in which the instructor or referee tells you to prepare yourself for the next task at hand, each time you hear it, remember the true meaning of readiness in Japanese: to be prepared is to be motivated or yoi.
