Anytime you get a look into the mind of a true legend, you have to find something to take away. Miyamoto Musashi is nothing if not a legend. We are 500 years removed from his life. His teachings and philosophies have made their way to English and have been read all over the world. What a reach. Unfathomable for his time.
All that said, the primary subject is sword fighting. Not exactly relevant to anybody’s life today. There are some good takeaways for competing and strategy. Most of which aren’t exactly groundbreaking, but when included in every facet of your training, they should become second nature.
He also describes the limitation language has on his teachings. There are things we cannot understand without training and physically practicing. You cannot become elite at a craft by reading about it. He emphasizes a need for intentional training.
Reading, being taught, having mentors are all important. They’re important for better framing and helping with questions that only experience yields answers to. But you can’t outsource hard work when perfecting a craft. You can’t read about Allen Iverson’s
Crossover and go do it. You can’t read about Steph Curry’s jumper and go do it. At the end of the day, hard work prevails.
Moreover, hard work is more than brute force. Mediation and understanding your own goals is part of the success story. In competition, understanding your opponent’s strengths, weaknesses, motivations, etc. gives you an edge.
Miyamoto is said to have won 60+ duals without ever losing one. The biography was the most interesting part of the book to me.