Culturalization Of The Talented

It is easy to accept

Outright,

That those who are neither talented

Nor driven

Waste their time,

Their lives,

Become conditioned,

And live a life of

Wasted potential.

 

But the matter takes on significance

When speaking of the Talented.

 

If a spectator watches a practice,

Or a warmup

Of professional athletes,

He is under the understandable impression

That what they are doing

In their practice

And their warmup

Has meaning

And practical relevance.

 

After all,

Who are “they”

To critique

Those on the world stage.

 

They are simply laymen.

The athletes and the coaches

Must know what they are doing.

 

This is rarely

The case.

 

There may be

The odd athlete

Who has discovered something

Of relevance.

 

The vast majority,

Approaching 100 percent,

Have not.

 

The kicker kicks,

The shooter shoots,

The hitter hits,

The thrower throws . . .

 

Because that

Is simply what they do.

 

Others around them

Kick, shoot, hit, and throw . . .

 

Others before them

Have always kicked, shot, hit, and thrown . . .

 

Their coaches preach

Kicking, shooting, hitting, and throwing . . .

 

Thus,

They kick,

They shoot,

They hit,

They throw.

 

Any relevance,

Significance,

Or excellence

That is ascribed upon their actions

Is purely in the Mind

Of the ‘ascriber.’

 

Why does a professional batter

Practice batting?

 

Why does a professional soccer player

Practice kicking the ball?

 

There are indeed

Nuanced forms of training

That can be had.

 

But it would opportunistic

And convenient

For anyone to use such training

As the reason for their practice.

 

Frankly,

It would be a lie.

 

The professional athlete

Is doing what he is doing

Because he has been Culturalized to do it.

 

A Question:

Why shall any man

Of sound reason and judgment

“Practice”

That which he already knows how to do?

 

It would be wise to note

At this juncture,

That there are indeed highly specific trainings

Targeting the Mind

That would have practical and profound relevance.

 

But they are not doing these.

Because they cannot train

That which they know

Nothing about.

 

Why do they practice?

 

They practice

Because a day spent on the sofa

Would be unconscionable.

 

They practice

In order to please the coaches.

 

They practice

In order to gain a sense of accomplishment.

 

These

Are not crimes.

 

They are

Culturalizations.

 

Namaste.