Taido is a set of principles about being and doing.

That's all it really could be after all. Just like any other physical discipline (sport, dance, sex cult), Taido includes instruction on why and how to use the body in response to various types of stimulus.

In this respect, Taido is not special or unique.

It's simply one of many educational models by which one could learn to be effective and efficient in life. If you are going to practice Taido for any length of time, it would benefit you to spend some time introspecting about why.

Why Taido?

How does Taido uniquely meet your needs, serve your goals, make you happy, or whatever?

  • Are you sure that Taido accomplishes this outcome better than other things you could be doing with your time?
  • If you do Taido for physical health, could you not get faster results working with a personal trainer in a gym?
  • If you do Taido for self-defense, does your training realistically prepare you for the kinds of situations in which you imagine you will be attacked?

These are just example questions.

Take some time to really look deeply into what got you into Taido and what keeps you in Taido. Think about the rewards you get from Taido practice in light of your motives and the effort you put in.

Notice your feelings and really consider why you are here.

If you decide that you do Taido simply because you enjoy it, ask yourself if there might be other things you could enjoy just as much or even more.

Couldn't you get just as much out of playing soccer?

The purpose of this assignment isn't to discourage or convince you to quit.

I don't want you to ever quit Taido.

But I do want you to understand why you don't quit - because continuing to do things "just because" is pretty weak.

Set aside a few minutes to do this.

I promise you'll learn things about yourself that you hadn't known before - or that you had forgotten. You'll also find that reconnecting your practice with your deepest motives and purpose will improve your practice and bring more drive and feeling to your training.

That's always a good thing.

And if you decide that Taido isn't the best way for you to spend your time right now, you can feel free to explore other things, because Taido will still be here when you're ready to come back.

Enjoy your practice.