On Discipline

With discipline, comes high mastery. Regard, there is no skill that is not hard won. There is no trade, that hasn’t its secrets. Acquire wisdom, and listen to the rebuke of the affectionate master, but scorn the folly of the scoffing fool. Fear not to be told over and over again, where your strike had not made a perfect weld. Practice your swing 10,000 times, and you shall make the steel good. So it is, harden the body to do your work, and sharpen your tool. Take the blows of your mistakes, and shape a better weapon in the forge in the next day’s steel. Take the repeated blows, and take every one with a lesson. Know the secrets, and do not shun them. Do not think you can find them for yourself, for one master may find one secret, but a thousand masters found a thousand secrets. Learn and teach. Beware of those who speak blame, and those who claim to know, but know not the engines by which the craft is made. Yet, listen to he who is small, for he may be a great and mighty master himself, but has found small fortune. Do not pride yourself as a giant, like you know everything. Learn from every mistake. And be not proud toward your Master, nor a churl to your student. With love, rebuke, and with kindness shape the instrument.