I was ‘gatewayed’ into GBS by someone I respect for their leadership qualities, who put a GBS quote in their bio. Usually, in 2023, a quote in a bio is quite a statement. I was then pulled towards GBS again by another person’s bio quote, who I respect for their courage and humility. The more you delve deeper, the more one can appreciate the coexistence of two seemingly contrasting traits: courage and genuinely being humble, due to the amounts of sheer determination synthesis of ‘opposites’ demand.
These two quotes were,
“You don’t find yourself, you create yourself.”
“I’m not a teacher: only a fellow traveller of whom you asked the way. I pointed ahead – ahead of myself as well as you.”
In my current state of mind, GBS resonates very powerfully with me. The more I read on him, the resonance I feel. I am very mindful and cautious here, especially when new ideas pull towards my young, naïve mind, filled with conscious and unconscious impunity. But with GBS, it’s been a bit different. His words and beliefs are similar to “conclusions” I’ve gathered so far, although I believe he would be on a totally different scale.
My very infant studies on GBS take me to some questions, how does GBS impact my aspirations to become a high school teacher? How does GBS align with my current coaching beliefs for my HSC students and martial arts students? GBS offers some interesting stimulus for thought, particularly in my career so far in coaching and for the future high school teacher within me.
One of GBS’s quotes struck me with confusion. “Men who can, do. Men who cannot, teach.” Diving deeper, I believe this can be interpreted as, “any ‘teacher’ who tries to shove something down a student’s throat will do so because they think that’s what a teacher does. Such a person is likely a naïve teacher, perhaps lacking passion or depth. In this sense, anyone can be a teacher. Read carefully. Every single being on this planet can learn, with the right mindset. Inversely, every single being on this planet can teach (erroneously most of the time). In essence, a teacher must always BELIEVE that they are always still students too.” This opens a discussion on what it means to be a ‘good teacher’. Perhaps, a good student is a good teacher.
I’m lead to discussing within myself to re-evaluate yet again, with the prompts of my still very early stages of studying more of GBS… Why do I practice and preach martial arts (more so traditional), studying English, inner peace etc. and what does this have to do with teaching? What is my deepest purpose here?
- I train hard and do my best in martial arts and encourage others to, particularly the traditional path, one devoid of bloodthirst and glorification, because I believe eventually this leads to inner peace. The eternal search for inner peace, enlightenment, mastery of self or whatever you call it, demands discipline which can often be found in diving deeper and deeper in a craft. Without discipline, without inner peace, I believe we will implode at some point.
I’m lead to look back at my child hood and I’m grateful that I can more succinctly put down what the key events and respective perspectives were, that lead to me feeling I NEEDED to change.
- Experiencing three sets of parents divorcing. This lead to a huge array of habits I had to unlearn:
o Wanting love through the wrong ways such as seeking any validation, any amounts of it and not knowing how to identify whether it was real or not.
o Becoming excellent at facades, a people pleaser, in order to gain the above.
o Rushing too much, focusing too much on the wrong things because I believed I needed to get out of “Hell” quickly in desperation. That’s the answer! No, this is! Wait, what about that!? A double-minded man is forever unstable. I held and still do, hold my breath both in martial arts and in day to day life. I stress and hold my breath, put all my eggs in one basket and hope for the best. This is not optimal.
o Chasing mindless consumption and instant gratification... Not knowing the difference between wants and needs.
o Hurting people around me without realising. Bad intent can be so deceptively paradoxical and the mind and ego will collaborate in the greatest of accomplices to mask morality: what is right vs. what is wrong.
o Feeling strong senses of instability within, generated in the forms of depression and anxiety even around the closest of friends because my life was not in order.
o Not knowing why because simply I never asked myself why and sat down to spend the time and effort.
The powerful changes that occur to one’s life because they drop their ego and decide to properly become a student.
I want to make changes in the education field: not running through motions and just ticking boxes. Organic changes! I want people to enjoy learning early on. I want to grow with people, particularly those that I have the responsibility to teach. I’ve put my little motto at the top of my website, “Grow with Saito” to hopefully make clear that it’s not “Grow from Saito”, it’s a collective journey with a two way street. Beyond teaching, I want to build a community where both structure and fluidity coexist, where love and differences can coexist. And if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. No chasing, no holding on too tightly till brutal and destructive anger rampages. An organic community.
Now to read more on George Bernard Shaw and his work.
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