将弱项变为强项

The boy began lesson with an old Japanese judo1 master. The boy was doingwell, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training, the master had taught him only one move.

"Mister," the boy finally said, "shouldn't I be learning more moves?"

"This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need toknow," the master replied.

Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.

Several months later, the master took the boy to his first tournament2.

To his surprise, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged3; the boy deftly4 used his one move to win the match. Still amazed5 by his success, the boy was now in the finals.

This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched6.

Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee7 called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the master intervened8.

"No," his master insisted, "let him continue."

Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.

On the way home, the boy and his master reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really in his min.

"Mister, how did I win the tournament with only one move?"

"You won for two reasons," the master answered. "First, you've almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. Second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm." The boy's biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.

男孩师从一位年长的日本柔道大师。孩子练得很好,但他不明白为什么师傅在三个月的训练中,始终只让他重复同一个动作。

“师傅,”男孩终于忍不住问道,“我是不是可以学点儿别的动作了?”

师傅回答说:“这是你唯一知道的动作,但也是你唯一需要知道的动作。”

男孩虽然不理解,但他非常信任自己的师傅,于是继续练着。

几个月后,师傅带这个男孩子去参加他的第一次比赛。

令这个男孩不可思议的是,他轻易赢了头两场比赛。第三场比赛似乎更难,但他的对手在比赛中开始失去耐心,向他冲过来,而这个孩子立即用他学过的惟一一招击败了对手。就这样稀里糊涂地,他进入了决赛。

这一次,他的对手更壮、更强,也更有经验。有那么一阵子,男孩似乎抵挡不住了。

考虑到男孩可能会受伤,裁判叫了暂停。他正准备停止比赛的时候,男孩的师傅阻止了他。

“不能停,”他说,“让他继续比。”

比赛继续进行之后不久,男孩的对手就犯了一个致命的错误:防漏(柔道术语)。男孩迅速用他那唯一的一招绊倒了对手,赢了这场比赛,并最终取得了冠军。

回家的路上,当男孩和他师傅重温着每一场比赛里的每一个动作时,他鼓起勇气道出了心中的困惑。

“师傅,我怎么会用一个动作就赢得了所有的比赛呢?”

“你获胜有两个原因,”师傅回答道:“第一,你已经基本掌握了柔道当中最难学的一个动作。第二,要对付这个动作,你的对手唯一可以做的就是去抓你的左臂。”就这样,男孩的最大弱点变成了他的最强项。

注释:

①judo n.[日]柔道术(日本的一种摔跤运动)

②tournament n.比赛;竞赛;锦标赛

③charged adj.冲动的

④deftly adv.灵巧地,熟练地

⑤amaze vt.使惊愕,使大吃一惊

⑥overmatch vt.赛过,打败,胜过;压倒

⑦referee n.裁判员,仲裁人

⑧intervene vi.干涉,干预