"When you allow fear and doubt to influence your decision making and your actions, you're unlikely to make the best choices possible. Think about the last time you were panicked about something — you cut your hand on the table saw and bled all over the workshop; you overslept and had five minutes to make it across town to take the final exam in a class you need to pass to graduate. Now imagine trying to make good, effective decisions in that state of mind.
"It isn't going to happen.
"Aiki, or impassive mind, is the warrior's best weapon. It is cultivated through conscious training. When you feel yourself becoming panicked, you deliberately rein in your emotions; do some deep breathing, and think very clearly about the next few steps you must take. Give yourself a moment to think of every consideration before acting.
"Taking a few moments to calm down and choose how you will react helps you make the right choices and act in a reasonable, responsible manner.
"Aiki is developed by deliberately putting yourself in situations of high stress, and by developing strategies for handling the stress. Martial artists often compete in tournaments for this reason. Yes, they want the glory of bringing home the trophy, but they also want to know that they can perform even under high stress (such as when five judges are watching you do your form and you forget what comes next).
"Develop aiki by acknowledging fear, anger and doubt, but then setting them aside in order to make wise choices. A warrior is confident in her abilities, so fear, doubt and indecision don't plague her. She knows what she's doing and she knows she knows what she's doing.
"Cultivate aiki by seeking out situations where you have to perform under stress, even when it'd be more comfortable not to. Accept that speaking engagement, enter the bowling tournament, challenge your boss to a round of golf. The focus isn't on winning but on developing a calm mind while under stress. Do this repeatedly until you know what aiki feels like and can respond calmly to almost any emergency."
