About 400 years ago in Japan, there was a Lord named Yamanouchi who was accompanied by a well-known Tea Master.

His only job was to perform “The Way Of The Tea” which is a ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha tea at any time his Lord requested.

He was so good at preparing tea that Lord Yamanouchi bestowed upon him the rank and robes of a samurai warrior—the highest honor one could receive in Japan.

On one occasion, the Lord had to travel to the city of Edo—now Tokyo—on business, and so with any other trip, his Tea Master accompanied him.

One night, Lord Yamanouchi and his Tea Master were walking through one of Edo’s districts when they bumped into a Samurai. Mistaking the Tea Master for one himself, the Samurai then challenged him to a duel the following day.

Despite not knowing a lick about sword-fighting, the Tea Master accepted as to not bring shame to his family and Lord. But when the swordsman was finally out of sight, the Tea Master broke down and began to imagine his death in the worst way possible.

In a panic, the Tea Master hurried to the nearest fencing school to not necessarily learn how to win, but to die honorably. When he arrived, he was immediately met with a fencing master who promised to teach him everything he knew.

But on one condition. . .

The fencing master said, “I will teach you all you require, but first, I ask that you perform The Way Of The Tea for me one last time.”

Of course, the Tea Master couldn’t refuse, so as he sat down and began to perform his ritual, all traces of fear seemed to leave his face. He was now unfurling the mat and setting out the cups with grace; sifting through the tea leaves and arranging the saucers with complete serenity.

Seeing this, the fencing master told him, “There you have it. Your state of mind when you perform the tea ceremony is all that is required. When you see your challenger tomorrow, imagine that you are about to serve tea for him.”

The Tea Master didn’t really understand how his advice would help, but he agreed to do what his teacher said.

The following morning in a field of grass, the Samurai warrior appeared, expecting a scared and crying man begging for mercy to only be met with a completely calm and composed opponent walking over the horizon.

When the Tea Master stopped, he slowly took off his coat, proceeded to neatly fold it, place it down delicately, and stand there, ready for his opponent to make the first move.

At that moment, the Samurai began to think this fumbling Tea Master might actually be a skilled swordsman. Now, it was him who feared for his life.

The skilled swordsman then bowed and asked for forgiveness, to only then turn around and walk away, never to be seen again.

The moral of the story is that whenever something happens to us, whether it’ll come in a few hours, days, or weeks, our imagination tends to take over, filling our mind with anxiety and stress.

The moment you take control of your imagination, your mind will then focus on the present moment and give you the mental clarity you need to focus on solving the problem.

One of my favorite Stoic quotes came from Seneca who said, “We suffer more in imagination than in reality.”

So stop imagining the worst thing thing that can possibly happen, and start focusing on what you can do now to ensure the best.

Until next time,
Isaiah Taylor

Dive Deeper

What I’m Currently Reading - I’m still reading Doris Goodwin’s biography of Abraham Lincoln titled “Team Of Rivals”. An in-depth analysis of Lincoln’s presidency and the men who stood alongside of him during the Civil War.

Quote Of The Week - “If you think the price of winning is too high, wait till you get the bill from regret.” — Tim Grover