Tom, I find that, different life style problem come up with most students. Like when the high school guys get there first girl friend. they may bring her in to see him do his stuff. Somtime later, they stat to slowly drift away, or when they find a girl and get married, or the first baby comes. Why?
Because they sometimes come because they want to learn just a little bit, and sometimes because they have time on there hands. some come for exercise maybe to get away from it all and so on. When I started out training back in 1962, I didn't know that I would be here writing articles about pressure points at this old age! We all thing at the start of your training, we will become Bruce Lee or something like that. But with some, other things we come to love slowly take first place and the training takes second then third, then fouth then fifth place till there is no place left for it. The few that stay training for the greater part of there life, just love it! Most people would rather party than train hard, so in life, they can't become Bruce Lee's, or anything special. They settle for normal, super natural takes lots of time and work and thought. We all wish we could some day be super natural and many people have a grand EGO and thing unrealistically that they are! Tom think about it, how many time have you met someone ( the hot shot) That knew it all, Who talked and talked and talked about his instructor and how good he is or was. Like he had it all! This used to happen over and over to me.
Here's a fun story, I think I tolled you that after work, I would take time out, to have a coffee and read, every day at a local coffee shop. I met a lot of charactors at this place, one of them, a guy who Would bug me every day about how great he was and that his instructor was so great and so on, you know the type. One day, he started his speach once again and started to get pushy, I was starting to get a little pissed but before I did, I said lets have a little test. I'm going to put my finger up your nose, lets see if you can (block) stop me before I do! ready put your hands up nw, ready, oh you weren't ready, we'll try again, oppps get ready now opps, didn't your instructor teach you how to block. After the third time Of putting my finger up his nose, he got the picture. The nexted day I was surprized when he came in to the coffee shop with dinner for me and a, Im sorry. EGO! it's a Bitch, If you've got one It will beat you like a rented mule till you get rit of it. Most come to feed there ego and that's the wrong foundation, It alway causes men to fall short of realistic goals. Thats why they leave. But if you can train just one, good one, in a life time, it's worth it. and look at all the free practice partners you get!
Yes, I understand your meaning - you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink type of thing! This is one of the reasons that i will not teach too the public - Most, will take a little of what your teaching, then just walk away for what ever reason's!.
There is a saying that i'm starting to like more and more = (The more I know People, The more I like Animals).