My opponent is my teacher;
my ego is my enemy.

Learn from everyone, even your enemies. If you are open to doing so, you will find that you can learn something from everything you do and everyone who crosses your path. The only thing that will stop you from learning is your ego.

The ego will silently tell you, “I am better than this person; there is nothing he can teach me.” or “I know way more that him, he is nothing compared to me.” These thoughts will keep you from learning and rob you of knowledge that could possibly be very useful to you. Arrogance is your enemy. It will rob you of learning many things, but only if you allow it to do so.

Always keep in mind that everyone knows something that you don’t. The wino on the street knows things about the streets, and street life, that you don’t. Your enemy, who has no honor, teaches you about what to expect from people of low character.

If you can’t learn some positive from someone, you can at least learn how not to act or what not to do. Absolutely everyone can teach you something, if you will only open your mind and listen. Don’t let your ego keep you from increasing your knowledge. Always look for ways to increase your knowledge and wisdom.

Bohdi Sanders
author of the award-winning best-seller
MODERN BUSHIDO: Living a Life of Excellence