Miyamoto Musashi's Dokkodo - 21 Teachings
Published February 22nd, 2023 by Sabah V.
Born in 1584, Miyamoto Musashi became one of the most renowned swordsmen and philosophers known to man. Throughout his life, he fought 61 duels, none of which he ever lost. Before he passed, he left behind 21 teachings for self-discipline named ‘Dokkodo‘.
1. Accept everything just the way it is.
Instead of worrying about outcomes, just learn to accept life as it comes and goes. You can almost never accurately predict an outcome anyway, so you might as well save yourself the time and energy.
2. Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.
In society nowadays, pleasure is glamorized and all around us whether it be drugs, p*rn, gambling, junk food, etc. Miyamoto states that these are distractions from accomplishing your true goal.
3. Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling.
Do not make decisions based on a quick feeling. Instead be sure of your next move before you approach.
4. Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
This is the key to being humble. People focus so much on how they are viewed by the world that they forget to view the world for themselves. Make your own assumptions about what the world is and what your values are.
5. Be detached from desire your whole life long.
Desiring something is actually more pleasurable than the act of receiving it. This is one of the key components in James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits. It is backed up by scientific evidence, your brain has a higher dopamine spike from anticipating something that is pleasurable rather than receiving it. Chasing desire will never have you satisfied.
6. Do not regret what you have done.
Having regret is being stuck in the past. Miyamoto states that it is important to break free of these shackles and move the only way you can, forward. Every mistake is a lesson learned.
7. Never be jealous.
You should never be jealous of others. Instead you should see those things as motivation for your own sake. Being jealous of someone else provides you no value and keeps you stuck in a negative mindset.