張祖平
A 10-year-old boy decided to study judo1 despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a car accident.
The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, but he couldn’t understand why the master taught him only one move after three months of training.
“Master,” the boy finally asked, “shouldn’t I be learning more moves?”
“This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you’ll ever need to know,” the master replied.
Not quite understanding, but believing in his master, the boy kept training. Several months later, the master took the boy to his first tournament2. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent3 became impatient, the boy deftly4 used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals.
This time, his opponent was taller, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee5 wanted to call a time-out. When the referee was about to pause the match, the master stopped him. “No,” the master insisted, “Let him continue.” Soon after the boy’s opponent made a big mistake: He dropped his guard. Instantly6, the boy used his move to beat him down. The boy had won the tournament.
He was the champion. On the way home, the boy and the master reviewed7 every move in every match. Then the boy get up the courage to ask what was really on his mind, “Master, how did I win the tournament with only one move?”
“You won for two reasons,” the master answered. “First, you’ve almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only defense8 for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm.”
The boy’s biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.
一個十歲的男孩決定去學(xué)習(xí)柔道,盡管他在一次車禍中失去了左臂。
男孩開始向一位年長的日本柔道大師學(xué)習(xí)。男孩學(xué)得很認真,他不明白,為什么經(jīng)過三個月的訓(xùn)練,大師還是只教了他一個招數(shù)。
男孩最后問:“師傅,難道我不應(yīng)該再學(xué)點別的招數(shù)嗎?”
大師答道:“這是你唯一知道的招數(shù),但這也是你唯一需要知道的招數(shù)。”
男孩并不是很明白,但是他相信他的師傅。男孩繼續(xù)訓(xùn)練。幾個月以后,大師帶他去參加首屆錦標(biāo)賽。男孩自己都感到很驚訝,他輕輕松松就贏得了前兩場比賽。第三場比賽有點難,但是過了一會兒,對手失去了耐心,男孩熟練地使用他的一招贏得了比賽。男孩仍然很驚訝,而現(xiàn)在他已經(jīng)進入了總決賽。
這次,他的對手更高、更壯、更有經(jīng)驗。好一會兒,男孩處于劣勢。裁判擔(dān)心男孩可能會受傷,想暫停比賽。正當(dāng)裁判要終止比賽的時候,男孩的師傅阻止他,堅持說:“不,讓他打下去?!焙芸炷泻⒌膶κ志头噶艘粋€重大的錯誤:他放松了警惕。隨即男孩一招致勝,贏得了此次錦標(biāo)賽。
他成為了冠軍。在回家的路上,男孩和他的師傅回顧了每場比賽的每一招。然后男孩鼓起勇氣說出了他腦海中的疑問:“師傅,我何以一招致勝贏比賽?”
“你能贏,有兩個原因,”大師答道,“首先,你已經(jīng)精通了柔道中最厲害的摔法。第二,唯一能防御你那一招的是讓你的對手抓住你的左臂?!?/p>
男孩最大的弱點成為了他最大的優(yōu)勢。