| There are three kinds of students: the superior | | | | next day and enrolled in a school, thinking he could |
| student, the average student, and the inferior | | | | achieve that same level of mastery within a few |
| student. The superior student has admirable qualities. | | | | weeks of training. His attendance in class is faltering, |
| He trusts his instructors implicitly and follows | | | | at best. When he does manage to show up for class, |
| whatever instructions are given him without complaint | | | | the inferior student is only half there and his training |
| or debate. He understands that his instructors were | | | | is only half-hearted. He questions both the instructor's |
| once students, too. He understands that his | | | | manners and motives. For instance, if the instructor is |
| instructors only have his welfare in mind when they | | | | teaching him the precepts of the art, he cannot |
| teach him. The superior student is pliable, honest, | | | | believe that the instructor himself actually practices |
| sincere, respectful, and has a zest to learn. He | | | | those precepts. In fact he cannot believe that |
| understands that mastery in the martial arts, or in | | | | anyone, anywhere, at any time, does actually |
| any endeavor, does not happen over night. He | | | | practice such noble principles. Why does he believe |
| knows that it often takes a long time to achieve | | | | this? Because he, himself, believes only in the myriad |
| proficiency and, understanding that, he is more than | | | | things in life that bind him eternally to worldliness and |
| willing to make that noble commitment. The superior | | | | misery. He understands nothing of life, nothing of the |
| student practices diligently at home and looks | | | | world, and basis all of his opinions on the illusions he |
| forward with joy to each and every class. Further, | | | | has created in his mind. To him, his instructor is |
| he learns from the mistakes committed by others | | | | nothing more than someone he hired to entertain him |
| and avoids perpetrating those same mistakes himself. | | | | a few hours a night. This self centered, egotistical |
| When he does make a mistake, he understands that | | | | attitude leads him to believe, falsely, that the |
| it is a natural part of the learning process and does | | | | instructor he "hired" should be eternally indebted to |
| not become sullen or angry when receiving correction. | | | | him for his patronage. The inferior student attends |
| The superior student is worthy of both respect and | | | | class only when there is nothing worth his while |
| admiration of his instructors. The average student is | | | | watching on television, such as an "important" football |
| one who likes the idea of learning but lacks the drive | | | | game or a favorite movie. In class, he is unmotivated |
| necessary to carry him all the way through the | | | | to learn, and is more interested in socializing with the |
| rigorous process. At times, he grows angry and | | | | other students than he is applying himself to practice. |
| questions both authority and motive. If it is raining or | | | | Inferior students are to be avoided by serious |
| snowing, he may not show up for class. He practices | | | | instructors. These, then, are the three types of |
| at home only when the mood strikes him and that is | | | | students. A person should always endeavor to |
| not very often. He sees the mistakes of others but, | | | | become a superior student, especially if he really |
| more often than not, learns nothing from those | | | | wants to learn anything well. Regardless of what |
| mistakes. Only when he makes those mistakes | | | | course one is taking-whether it is a martial art, a |
| himself does he learn. The inferior student, oddly | | | | college course, or a tennis lesson-one must always |
| enough does not even know why he is studying a | | | | strive to be a superior student. It is the noble thing |
| martial art in the first place. Maybe it was choice | | | | to do. |
| between joining a bowling league or spending his night | | | | Richard Behrens is the founder of Senso Aikijutsu, |
| "playing" at the martial arts. Maybe he happened to | | | | the Japanese martial art presently headed by Ted |
| see a martial arts movie one night and was so taken | | | | Hanulak Sensei of The Aikijutsu Academy of |
| by the ease the hero or heroine used their martial | | | | Indianapolis Mr. |
| skills to defeat an enemy that he ran right out the | | | | |