Whenever you cross swords with an enemy you must not think of cutting him either strongly or weakly; just think of cutting and killing him. Be intent solely on killing the enemy. Do not try to cut strongly and, of course, do not think of cutting weakly. You should only be concerned with killing the enemy.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- When fighting, focus entirely on the goal of defeating the enemy without worrying about the strength of your cut.
- In plain terms
- Focus only on winning the fight, not on how hard you hit.
- What can you take from it?
- Focus on the goal, not the method.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Are you focused on the result or the process?
- What distracts you from your goal?
Another view
Ignoring technique entirely can lead to poor execution.
More from Miyamoto Musashi
Your strategy is of no account if when called on to fight in a confined space your heart is inclined to the long sword, or if you are in a house armed only wit…
Permalink to quote #77 If you rely on strength, when you hit the enemy's sword you will inevitably hit too hard. If you do this, your own sword will be carried along as a result. Thu…
Permalink to quote #79 It is difficult for these people to cut the enemy when at close quarters because of the length of the long sword. The blade path is large so the long sword is …
Permalink to quote #76
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