Recently my husband made a decision that seemed very practical to me; practical, and in my opinion, long overdue.
As a martial arts instructor, his passion has always been in teaching people to be the best that they can be, and so he’s never cared about the number of people he’s training, only about how well he’s teaching them. But we have always run the dojo in huge leased locations, and our large overhead has always demanded a different, more commercial approach, one he’s never been willing to take.
Last month, he made the difficult decision to go from our leased premises, to a single large room we’ll be renting for specific hours of the week. It’s a space from which we will be able to grow the dojo again, but in a way that makes more business sense.
As his partner in business, I gave an audible sigh of relief, because this portion of our business has, from its very inception, been the proverbial money pit.
As his partner in life, though, I didn’t have a clue how much courage this decision required of him. Not until afterward did I realize how brave my husband is to do what he’s done.
To me, this decision seemed a very practical one. What we’d been doing simply wasn’t working; it wasn’t working in a way that had quite a large financial impact on us. It seemed to me nothing much would change for his students. The quality of instruction would remain the same; only the space itself would be different. Wasn’t it, after all, the actual teaching that mattered?
Maybe, maybe not. In six weeks’ time, as we make the transition, we will find out.
I know now the courage it took for him to do this. After he announced the news to his students, he was drained, physically and mentally, for two days.
For the past decade, he’s given his students not only the best of himself, but also the best physical space in which to train – something he could ill-afford, but he did it anyway.
I’ve always felt that in the martial arts, it’s the teacher who makes the difference. Unlike an endeavor that requires special equipment, where the type of equipment you have the use of makes as much difference as the quality of the teacher, with the martial arts, it’s all about the teacher.
But perhaps not everyone feels this way.
And so I am seeing, so very clearly, how brave my husband is. How much courage it took for him to make what to me seemed like a simple, practical and well-justified business decision, a step that any professional advisor would have recommended he take.
And I have this to say: I admire his courage, his bravery, so very much.
I believe in you, with my whole heart and soul.
My husband is one of the best martial arts teachers around. And it seems to me, when the teaching is at the core of a martial arts dojo, it doesn’t really matter where the dojo is, because the dojo isn’t any physical location.
The dojo is the teacher; the teacher is the dojo.
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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
What a lovely post! I’ve already informed my husband that YOUR husband is my hero! And my husband grumpily suspects that yours, in addition to his other talents, can do electrical and plumbing work too! :–)
.-= rhapsodyinbooks´s last blog ..Review of “Pretties” by Scott Westerfeld =-.
Thanks, Jill.
He says he can do electrical, but I won’t let him :) No to the plumbing, more’s the pity. But he is amazing at landscaping and decks!
This is such a nice post! Change is never easy, but I’m sure your support is a big help to him. I wish you both luck during the transition and with your new business formula.
.-= Kathy´s last blog ..Review: Battle Royale =-.
Thank you so much, Kathy. I keep wanting to give him a big hug!
What a wonderful, edifying post!
I hope this decision not only proves to be one that is good for the spirit, but good for the pocketbook as well.
.-= Molly´s last blog ..WWW Wednesday =-.
Thanks, Molly. Me, too!
I can only imagine how tough a decision this was for Sensei but here is the reality of it all… It is through his teaching and that of those he has taught that the rest of us become better martial artists and, more importantly, better people. The location does not matter. He could rent a squash court a few times a week and if that was where he would be teaching, that is where I would be. A parking lot? I’ll be there, but I hope we can wear shoes. If he is willing to teach, we will be there.
.-= Steve Kubien´s last blog ..Housekeeping Notes =-.
Thank you, Steve. I appreciate your support tremendously, and I know Ward does too.
He is a wonderful teacher, isn’t he? Anyone who’s ever watched him teach or who has been taught by him knows this.
I think he’s been formulating a number of outdoor plans for everyone when the good weather comes. If I hear the words parking lot, I’ll push for shoes, okay?
Lovely, lovely, lovely!! :)
.-= Jemi Fraser´s last blog ..Parker & Living Life =-.
This is a wonderful post, Belle. It can be really hard to make a big change like that, especially when you don’t quite know how it will turn out. Best of luck to you and your husband!
.-= Aarti´s last blog ..Guest Posting =-.
I really hope the move goes well. I know how hard it can be to make a change especially after so long. I agree that with something like martial arts it’s the teacher that is most important. Good luck!
.-= Debbie´s last blog ..Some Great YA Books You Might Have Missed =-.
How wonderful to hear your strong support and admiration for your husband. That’s so important in a strong relationship. My son is a martial artist and I’ve heard him reflect the same sentiments. He has followed good teachers no matter where they are. I’ve seen some of the dojos and I was skeptical at first but then as I saw the students and teacher in action, the surroundings faded away. It didn’t matter.
.-= Margot´s last blog ..Social Justice Challenge: Religious Freedom =-.
Aww, what a nice post – it’s great to hear of such a good, loving relationship. :)
.-= Ruth´s last blog ..Flowers =-.
Beautful. Mr. Bookish is blessed to have partnered up with you. I wish you both the best — I haven’t taken martial arts, but with tai chi it seemed to me that the teacher, not the space, was the key.
.-= Beth F´s last blog ..Review: The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming =-.
Changing things does require great bravery. It is fantastic to see that you are so supportive and I hope everything goes well.
.-= Jackie (Farm Lane Books)´s last blog ..The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation: v. 1 – M.T. Anderson =-.
Belle, what a heart-warming tale. I feel your husband’s pain at making the decision. I applaud him for going through it and you for understanding him in his time of transition.
Thanks for sharing adn I hope things go well.
.-= Cat Woods´s last blog ..I’ll take one agent with a side of fries… =-.
Aw, it’s so great that you’re so supportive of your husband! It really does sound like a great move for him! I know it must have been hard. . .
.-= Audrey/brizmus´s last blog ..French Friday (10) =-.
You and Ward are very lucky to have each other. I sincerely hope the new dojo is a success. It sounds like his students would follow him anywhere, as would you.
.-= Barbara´s last blog ..Robert B. Parker, 1932-2010 =-.
I can imagine what a difficult decision this was. I wish you both the best of luck with the transition!
.-= Memory´s last blog ..TBR Additions =-.
What a lovely post, Belle. I do hope this transition to a different space goes smoothly for both your husband and his students. As a teacher, I can understand wanting to give your students the best of everything, but in the end, you are right that his teaching is what is keeping them coming back for more, not the space.
.-= Rebecca´s last blog ..Blog Luv Fest =-.
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