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Korea (South)1897 Posts
Origami and Me
When I was a little kid, origami (Japanese paper folding) was the really big thing in my grade 3 class. Now living in Canada and it being the early 80's, there wasn't much knowhow on this subject, basically, no one knew how to make things except for really simple things and at the time there weren't any translated origami books, maybe just a few basic ones, but without a background in origami, the instructions were too difficult to follow.
So, I'm Korean, but my mom and even my dad, they knew some origami, so they taught me what they knew from when they were kids and I was super gosu compared to the other kids, no comparison. I was in fact this treasure trove of origami skill.
Let go of your Little Secrets
Now when you're kids, your edge over the competition is keeping what you know a secret, now that can't happen now because of the internet, but for a lot of people they hold on to whatever tiny bit of knowledge they have as. Whether it be a Streetfighter combo or in my case origami techniques; thing is, I always taught everyone what I knew, and when I taught them, I always got some additional insight, which then translated into knowhow...
It all comes down to KnowHow
I talk about knowhow a lot, and perhaps I've never fully explained it. Knowhow isn't just knowledge, but it's an insight that comes out of doing the same routine/process over and over again and eventually understanding the process so much that you inherently see what can be done to improve things on an incremental level that eventually produces a higher quality product while also being more cost/production efficient. So there can be 2 factories, one in Korea and one in the UK, exactly the same specs and machinery and materials, but with knowhow, one factor will produce better goods at a better output.
Thing is, you can point out the knowhow, teach the knowhow to others, but knowhow is actually a reflection on the fact that you are an expert in your field.
So, in the case of letting all the kiddies know about how to make the origami, most of the classmates I told, looked at me like I was some kind of fool and that they were stealing some kind of nuclear blue print from me; but even the little bits of knowhow I taught them, simply confirmed to me my level of expertise in it.
But by teaching them all my base knowledge, it forced me to make what I made, that much better, quicker, and I began to understand what really origami was all about, so that when I eventually got my hands on an advance book of origami, I could simply look at the instructions and understand what it meant...now, this isn't anything special, other than the fact that I understood this by grade 3.
To be Competitive is to be in a Different Level to Start
So, to that point, up to even university, when I met someone who knew origami (funny I know) and me looking like the savage I am, they would ask me to make something, and I'd simply make a crane and ask them to make one as well. Thing is, my cranes were inherently simply better, made faster and simply just beautiful and unless I explained the knowhow, not replicable to the untrained eye.
In terms of being competitive, you need to be able to execute your work, the basics, always better than someone beside you, with the same given resources and time. It shows you have prepared to actually compete. And the best way for that is not to hold on to any tricks, but to simply do, teach and redo over and over and over again with no sense to compete now, but to understand its simply a learning time.
A Time to Prepare
It's perhaps the biggest fault I see with people, when its time to prepare, to training, to learn, the only thing you should be competing on is who is learning and perfecting things more thoroughly, when things are simple to learn, being quick seems to make a difference, but when process are difficult to master, its all just a matter of the time you put in. Ultimately, when you thoroughly understand the process that you are competing in, knowhow will naturally occur as you engage in the competition. Seems very straightforward, but generally quite missed.
Make sure you know ever aspect of the process, let go of the little things you know and teach your peers and in the long run you will be in a position to eventually compete at the highest level, due to the natural inclination to develop knowhow independently of being taught. After all, i don't write this because I wanted to compete to be 'ok' or in the top 10, no, at least the mind set is to compete to be the best, whether or not that actually happens.
Due to my own exposure, I've seen a lot of internationally competitive pro gamers, poker players and rugby players. For the most part, when you are at a professional level, there are very significant gap between begin professional and amateur and causally competitive. Talent aside, especially in poker, the pros play with the amateurs, and the first thing I always have spotted is if the players truly understand everything about the game. Now here is the thing, in actuality, there are a lot of 'pros' but in terms of who are the actual competitive pros, very few. And what that knowhow translates into as being a pro, in whatever sport or job is, a distinct style; you can tell they aren't a copy of anything, they may be very similar, but they aren't easy to read off the bat, they have subtleties/shades in their play. That is the knowhow in effect.
Now I can't say the same thing when I look at the NFL, or NBA,or MLB simply because they have so many different levels to get to pro, the pro leagues are really the pro leagues. and just as an aside, so I use to play rugby at the national level in Korea and varsity in Canada (which doesn't mean much on both accounts), but I had the talent because when I joined an international touring team, I could play at the same level of the ex-internationals (of course we're all old farts at the time), and the gap between us and the competitive club players, was significant in that, we all had our own distinct style that wasn't so simple to counter.
I write this part 1 because, the final point I want to mention, is that, if competitiveness wasn't about knowhow, then any company, any force, who were in power, who had the more resources and market share, simply couldn't be stripped from power, but it does happen and I hope in my industries, I will be competitive enough to do the same.
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Hmmmm, pretty cool blog.
I love your blogs, keep posting them. ^_^
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Awesome blog again.
I have the same outlook on what you call "Know how", though I never really put it to words. Good timing on this, as I've been trying to apply these to my studies in university as mid-terms are coming up.
Again, hope things are going better than last time (I think you said that when you have time to post, it means things can't be going TOO poorly) and can't wait to read part 2 of this series.
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Thanks for the read. I always find your blogs really motivational.
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Reading this blog, I'm reflecting that it's almost always been about applying what you do know so you know it so well that you see the nuances of what you do know compared to what you're teaching or learning from someone else. Hating to lose, regardless of it being a competitive edge, a tournament or just a unique capability, makes for an incredible motivator both externally and internally to keep probing for weaknesses.
So, it really always does come down to an insight/knowledge war and essentially out-thinking people x steps ahead?
Ah well, that should have been completely obvious. I really need to digest all your blogs then do a reflective blog of my own off them.
But the question is; what is more important? Exploring your own strengths to realize and exploit the little things that make them even more of an advantage, or shoring up your weaknesses through applying yourself so your know-how also covers them?
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
On October 19 2010 22:46 Ciryandor wrote:
Reading this blog, I'm reflecting that it's almost always been about applying what you do know so you know it so well that you see the nuances of what you do know compared to what you're teaching or learning from someone else. Hating to lose, regardless of it being a competitive edge, a tournament or just a unique capability, makes for an incredible motivator both externally and internally to keep probing for weaknesses.
So, it really always does come down to an insight/knowledge war and essentially out-thinking people x steps ahead?
Ah well, that should have been completely obvious. I really need to digest all your blogs then do a reflective blog of my own off them.
But the question is; what is more important? Exploring your own strengths to realize and exploit the little things that make them even more of an advantage, or shoring up your weaknesses through applying yourself so your know-how also covers them?
ghrur, shurgen, Ludrik ^^ ㄳ Thanks keke
Ciyandor: "But the question is; what is more important? Exploring your own strengths to realize and exploit the little things that make them even more of an advantage, or shoring up your weaknesses through applying yourself so your know-how also covers them?"
100% is the latter; if you just do what you do, your strengths are naturally apparent because you will always favour your strengthens and your mind and tactics will naturally always find its more productive and best results there.
That being said: When I write, I always assume that anyone who is competing is already taken the time to put an ungodly number of hours and focus into what they have been doing and they are in competition with the best of the best.
But I really appreciate your example because you've made a very well written/articulated comparison because, in shoring up your weaknesses it is from from' APPLYING YOURSELF', So you've already put in the key word there of 'applying' in order to expose those weakness.
In business and in competing, its not generally you being less stronger than someone is what causes your downfall or #2 place finish; it's because you made some minor error or was not consistent. When you are improving your strengths, it isn't an cerebral thing, its a doing thing, and its not about doing the same thing better, but its your strengths applied in a more difficult or complex environment. So you are a great puncher, you can practice punching with a hundred sparing partners and you focus on punching harder faster and so forth, but can you still punch like that when you just got an upper cut to the chin? So that has nothing to do with your inherent skill, but the environment it is exposed to, thus going back to the latter point of your comparison. And who is to say you are even developing your strengths in the most competitive way rather than the most convenient way.
Exploring your own strengths without exposing your weaknesses via DOING, is just egotistical masturbation. ^^
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This is a great post. I learned this aspect of becoming competitive from following DJ history.
Back in the 90s, there was a group called invisibl skratch piklz which was a group of American/Filipino turntablists who basically just won every year at the DMC world championships.
Just like your origami example, when the piklz started out they weren't exceptionally better than everyone else. They just took in as much as they could, and then they were EXTREMELY open about all their techniques. When most DJs were hiding what vinyls they used and putting black labels over them, the piklz had a approach which was
A) We can do this well, but here we'll show you how to do it to the detail.
B) You show us what you can do.
Then they would repeat this process and absorb whatever you took and make it infinitely better.
If you guys are interested in this you should watch the 2001 documentary called Scratch its very interesting.
DJ Qbert is the most famous from ISP. Also Mixmaster Mike from the Beastie Boys.
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Korea (South)1897 Posts
Ack,
Thanks ^^ I think I will dl the documentary,
I love that kind of stuff.
keke
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Really great blog. I saw this after looking at your other 'being competitive' blogs. It seems like you've put a bit of thought into this. Thanks
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Osaka27151 Posts
Reading your bumped blogs is great....
Let go of your Little Secrets
Now when you're kids, your edge over the competition is keeping what you know a secret, now that can't happen now because of the internet, but for a lot of people they hold on to whatever tiny bit of knowledge they have as. Whether it be a Streetfighter combo or in my case origami techniques; thing is, I always taught everyone what I knew, and when I taught them, I always got some additional insight, which then translated into knowhow...
... it brought back an awesome memory. I grew up in Vancouver, and I have the feeling I am about the same age as you give or take. I certainly remember when street fighter came out and there were rows of machines and rows of kids behind each one. Nowadays they print the moves for every character right on the fucking machine, but back then? Knowledge of how to do a moon kick was earned. I'm sure you get what I'm talking about.
Anyway, a little bit later out came mortal kombat 1 and 2. I remember I had somehow managed to get a hold of a printout of special moves for EVERY mortal kombat 2 characters. I'm talking fireballs, ice puddles, and even fatalities. I felt like I was holding onto state secrets. I used to study the moves of a new character, go in and play, and then leave to study and try a new character.
One day when I was probably 11 or 12 I went to the Chinese corner store on East Boulevard. Alone. MK2 was at the back, and there were some BIG KIDS playing. Steeling myself I dropped in my quarter, interrupted his game with the computer, and prepared for battle. Nervous, I had my sheet on my bag below my feet.
And I won.
With my insider knowledge I basically cheesed him with Kitana's special move. I was actually nervous that I had won because I didn't know how these big kids would react. I shouldn't have been. The one who had been watching laughed at his buddy, gave him a good natured slap on the back, and they left. I felt euphoria like I had never felt before. Even the old Chinese lady at the counter looked over at me and said "you are good at the game!" It was and still is the only time in my life that the proprietor of a Chinese corner store has said anything to me other than what was required for transactions at the till, or to shoo me away from the porno rack. I'll never forget it.
I ended up losing my quarter to the computer a couple minutes later, but I didn't care at all. I had tasted victory. However, the pleasant buzz in my had was replaced by a sick feeling in my stomach as I bent down to get my stuff. My paper was gone. The big kids had stolen it.
For 11 year old Mani, this was a tragic moment. I walked out onto the sidewalk and turned left. Walking down the street I passed the KFC and looked in the window. There were the two big kids waiting for their order.
I didn't hesitate. I walked into the restaurant and tapped the player on the shoulder. I didn't say anything, I just held out my hand. The big kid looked at me for a second, laughed, and dug around in his pocket before handing me a piece of paper.
Legs shaking with adrenaline, I looked at it. It was a pencil scrawled scrap. I tapped again. The big kid looked back while his friend howled. "You gave him the tennis scores didn't you?" he laughed. The player dug again and handed back my precious.
I left KFC and took the bus home. My secrets were safe with me.
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EPT
