Technique

Technique is important. How you accomplish something is just as important as what you are attempting to accomplish. If you don't use proper technique, it can make life more difficult for you than it should be. Using brute force only gets you so far before you either hurt yourself or break whatever you are trying to do.

For instance, I have been having troubles with my spinning back kick for a while and it all boils down to my technique. I tried several different approaches, but did not reach the "aha" moment I was looking for. Recently, it clicked. It was mentioned to me that I didn't use my hips enough. I laughed at myself, of course! Why did I not think of that earlier? Almost everything is generated from the hips. I know it was mentioned to me in the past, why didn't I apply it earlier? With this, the quality of my spinning back kicks, in fact all my kicks, has improved greatly. All because of technique. 

I remember watching a youtube video on how to change motorcycle tires a few years ago. What the person said resonates with me even now, it was along the lines of, "If something seems way more difficult than it should be, you are probably doing it wrong and need to change your approach."  That seed was planted in my brain then and only now am I beginning to truly approach problems with that mindset.