The GYSHIDO dojo kun
The short version, for people who skip to the end. Every karate dojo has a dojo kun, the training hall’s oath, hung on the wall and recited in class. This is ours. Each line opens with 一、(hitotsu, “one”) because every precept comes first.
There are no rules.
…that can’t be questioned, reimagined, or broken. Precept 21.
The nijūichi kun
二十一訓 means “twenty-one precepts.” This is the full manifesto, for people who don’t skip to the end. Seven for each of DO, LEAD and WIN. Red numerals mark the nine that made the dojo kun. The tenth comes from the original seven.
DO
Relentless focus on what truly matters. Make the main thing the main thing.
Do, don’t talk (or overthink). Action creates insight more than insight creates action.
Embrace boring consistency. Small improvements compound into extraordinary results.
Do a single task with laser-sharp attention. Multitasking is the enemy of excellence.
Practice no meetings that waste time. Stand, walk, or make it social. No chairs allowed.
Follow up relentlessly. Don’t let others wait for your part of the job. Ever.
Don’t die in beauty. Perfect is the enemy of good.
LEAD
No ego, no fear (it’s not about you). Leadership begins when you forget yourself.
Treat people like adults. Trust is the foundation of extraordinary teams.
Speak the truth, demand the truth. No bullshit. Honesty is your most precious currency.
Remember: most of it is bullshit. Get back to basics and do the right things right.
You don’t win alone. Individual performance is less important than cohesion.
Common sense is not common practice. The gap between knowing and doing is where leaders are made.
In the long run, we are all dead. Tomorrow isn’t promised. Act with urgency.
WIN
Superior products matter. Excellence in a world of mediocrity is revolutionary.
Speed is your (only) advantage. While others deliberate, you deliver. Move faster.
Be known or be nothing. Stand for something specific or stand for nothing at all.
Luck is earned, not given. Chance isn’t when preparation meets opportunity – it’s strategy.
Embrace failure is inevitable. It’s your “First Attempt in Learning.”
Success can be an illusion. Look beyond the winners’ circle. Question triumph, strive to see the whole picture.
There are no rules that can’t be questioned, reimagined, or broken.
This is the way of the GYSHIDO-san.
Greatness is a choice.
Your journey begins now.
Still here? There’s a book.
It’s little, it’s red, and it takes the twenty-one one at a time.
Or read it online and listen to the audiobook, both free. Only the print edition costs money, because paper does. Then go get your shit done.
Want the principles on your wall? Get the poster.