Reminds me of a remark made about Michael Jordan by one of his coaches in his "Relentless" book:
> For all of Michael’s amazing moves and unforgettable moments, he knew none of that could happen without the fundamentals. Those basic moves he had practiced over and over and over since he was a kid made everything else possible. He didn’t work on being flashy, he worked on being consistent, and he worked on it relentlessly. Cleaners don’t care about instant gratification; they invest in the long-term payoff.
I also recognize something Bruce Lee said about martial arts techniques, that the techniques that are pleasing to the eye are not very good, that the best stuff that works is boring and simple, and one has to develop that taste, not unlike developing a taste for wines.
I found the quote:
> “Some martial arts are very popular, real crowd pleasers, because they look good, have smooth techniques. but beware.They are like a wine that has been watered. A diluted wine is not a real wine, nto a good wine, hardly the genuine article. Some martial arts don’t look so good, but you know that they have a kick, a tang, a genuine taste. They are like olives. The taste may be strong and bittersweet. The flavour lasts. You cultivate a taste for them. NO one ever developed a taste for diluted wine”
In response to;
> The former shows restraint in relation to his appetites and is able to build a relationship and raise a family, while the latter is a mess who never achieves anything of value, slavishly indulging his appetites that lead nowhere but his own misery and mediocrity
I don't agree with your example by the way. There are many variables. For example, the former may be lazy and undisciplined with his life in general, but is faithful regardless for whatever reason (it's also easy to imagine that monk-like discipline is not necessarily always the only factor that keeps men in committed relationships from cheating). The latter may just consider polygamy as a lifestyle choice for a certain period of time but be very disciplined with his life nevertheless. It's not correct to derive assumptions about one's discipline purely based on the type of relationships one engages.
> For all of Michael’s amazing moves and unforgettable moments, he knew none of that could happen without the fundamentals. Those basic moves he had practiced over and over and over since he was a kid made everything else possible. He didn’t work on being flashy, he worked on being consistent, and he worked on it relentlessly. Cleaners don’t care about instant gratification; they invest in the long-term payoff.
I also recognize something Bruce Lee said about martial arts techniques, that the techniques that are pleasing to the eye are not very good, that the best stuff that works is boring and simple, and one has to develop that taste, not unlike developing a taste for wines.
I found the quote:
> “Some martial arts are very popular, real crowd pleasers, because they look good, have smooth techniques. but beware.They are like a wine that has been watered. A diluted wine is not a real wine, nto a good wine, hardly the genuine article. Some martial arts don’t look so good, but you know that they have a kick, a tang, a genuine taste. They are like olives. The taste may be strong and bittersweet. The flavour lasts. You cultivate a taste for them. NO one ever developed a taste for diluted wine”
In response to;
> The former shows restraint in relation to his appetites and is able to build a relationship and raise a family, while the latter is a mess who never achieves anything of value, slavishly indulging his appetites that lead nowhere but his own misery and mediocrity
I don't agree with your example by the way. There are many variables. For example, the former may be lazy and undisciplined with his life in general, but is faithful regardless for whatever reason (it's also easy to imagine that monk-like discipline is not necessarily always the only factor that keeps men in committed relationships from cheating). The latter may just consider polygamy as a lifestyle choice for a certain period of time but be very disciplined with his life nevertheless. It's not correct to derive assumptions about one's discipline purely based on the type of relationships one engages.