Focus on the journey, not the destination
Sept 20, 2016 16:12:02 GMT -5
Post by Smart Style on Sept 20, 2016 16:12:02 GMT -5
It's been a few weeks since Lions Den closed its doors and 3GW took its place, and in that time a lot has had to happen: contracts renegotiated, moving from South Carolina to California - or try and fly between the two, losing a large chunk of your wages on flights and hotels. For some this change in surroundings could lead to difficulties, but judging by the thoughtful look on his face it hasn’t affected Shintaro Majima as much as it would have affected others
I have been asked more than once how I have coped with moving from one side of the country to another, and every time I am asked this question I give the same answer: I had already moved from my country to another to compete in Lions Den, which was a great upheaval not just in terms of location but also culture and customs.
For me the question is why people think that moving some one side of this country to another is so difficult. More often than not it simply does not matter which side of this country you are, as there is uniformity wherever you go: McDonalds in one place is the same as another, Starbucks is the same in one place as it is in another, so many things are exactly the same that it does not matter where you are as the character and identity of every place has long been eroded.
Pausing to rub the palm of one hand against the other, Majima changes his train of thought
There is another reason the change does not feel severe to me, and that is because I am not the only Lions Den competitor to move to 3GW. The moment the roster was announced, many of the names I was already familiar with were revealed.
Yet there was one thing that was not revealed, and that is the status of the title match which I had earned. I do not wish to repeat myself, but I had earned the right to challenge Jensen Banks for a title, yet neither this match nor this title are available. Yet I am not going to accept this and set my sights elsewhere, as to have something taken from you by forces out of your control is not a satisfying chain of events. It is one thing to lose a match, another to have the match taken from you.
Leaning forward ever so slightly, Majima presses his fingertips together under his chin
With so many making the move from Lions Den, I am reminded of so many wrongs that need to be corrected – and how I am offered the opportunity to do just that by so many of the same faces being in this company.
Not only is there the need to correct the error of not having my title match against Jensen Banks, but there are others who have eluded me for some time, such as the Arrogant Fool who I am having to compete alongside at the next show.
But do not confuse this for me looking backwards, as I am fully aware that there are many new opponents for me to face over the coming weeks and months. What I am saying is that the match I am taking part in feels like the last stand of Lions Den, a match in which eight of their finest come face to face one final time knowing full well that many who set foot in the ring will be declared the loser in that last page of Lions Den history.
Majima removes his hands from under his chin, once again wiping one palm against the other
I may have my reasons to not trust members of my team, much less respect them, but those do not compare with the reasons why I wish to win. I wish to win so that this chapter in my career begins with a winning start, I wish to win so that I can say that I was victorious in Lions Den’s last stand, I wish to win to once again prove that I am deserving of title contention – especially if my victory means Jensen Banks is defeated, proving this point further still.
My surroundings may have changed, but my journey remains the same: to prove without a shadow of doubt that I am a force to be feared as much as I am respected, and to do this requires me to defeat opponent after opponent until there is nobody left who can prevent my inevitable victory.
Word count: 759
I have been asked more than once how I have coped with moving from one side of the country to another, and every time I am asked this question I give the same answer: I had already moved from my country to another to compete in Lions Den, which was a great upheaval not just in terms of location but also culture and customs.
For me the question is why people think that moving some one side of this country to another is so difficult. More often than not it simply does not matter which side of this country you are, as there is uniformity wherever you go: McDonalds in one place is the same as another, Starbucks is the same in one place as it is in another, so many things are exactly the same that it does not matter where you are as the character and identity of every place has long been eroded.
Pausing to rub the palm of one hand against the other, Majima changes his train of thought
There is another reason the change does not feel severe to me, and that is because I am not the only Lions Den competitor to move to 3GW. The moment the roster was announced, many of the names I was already familiar with were revealed.
Yet there was one thing that was not revealed, and that is the status of the title match which I had earned. I do not wish to repeat myself, but I had earned the right to challenge Jensen Banks for a title, yet neither this match nor this title are available. Yet I am not going to accept this and set my sights elsewhere, as to have something taken from you by forces out of your control is not a satisfying chain of events. It is one thing to lose a match, another to have the match taken from you.
Leaning forward ever so slightly, Majima presses his fingertips together under his chin
With so many making the move from Lions Den, I am reminded of so many wrongs that need to be corrected – and how I am offered the opportunity to do just that by so many of the same faces being in this company.
Not only is there the need to correct the error of not having my title match against Jensen Banks, but there are others who have eluded me for some time, such as the Arrogant Fool who I am having to compete alongside at the next show.
But do not confuse this for me looking backwards, as I am fully aware that there are many new opponents for me to face over the coming weeks and months. What I am saying is that the match I am taking part in feels like the last stand of Lions Den, a match in which eight of their finest come face to face one final time knowing full well that many who set foot in the ring will be declared the loser in that last page of Lions Den history.
Majima removes his hands from under his chin, once again wiping one palm against the other
I may have my reasons to not trust members of my team, much less respect them, but those do not compare with the reasons why I wish to win. I wish to win so that this chapter in my career begins with a winning start, I wish to win so that I can say that I was victorious in Lions Den’s last stand, I wish to win to once again prove that I am deserving of title contention – especially if my victory means Jensen Banks is defeated, proving this point further still.
My surroundings may have changed, but my journey remains the same: to prove without a shadow of doubt that I am a force to be feared as much as I am respected, and to do this requires me to defeat opponent after opponent until there is nobody left who can prevent my inevitable victory.
Word count: 759
