Overpowered: Lessons from Hanlim Gym Webtoon
This collage from the Webtoon Hanlim Gym describes how the most overpowered character in the series has only two strengths: perception and adaptation.
With a keen eye, he watches his opponent, avoids distraction, adapts to the changing conditions, and dictates time-space. He perceives and adapts. We can't tailor our decisions to the current situation unless we know what the current situation is.
Much like in real life, if his opponents only think about what they want to do while he's looking at what they're doing, he has an overpowered advantage. He's fighting with two eyes, and they're fighting with none.
In combat, fear (and ego) often leads us to focus our attention inward, solely on our own actions, rather than considering our opponent's moves. "I don't care what my opponent does, I only care about what I do" is a popular refrain in martial arts and combat sports. But imagine playing any head-to-head strategy game this way, only thinking about your own moves without considering your opponent's actions. Similarly, in martial arts, you don't find your Way by doing whatever suits you, you find your Way based on what suits the situation. See the forest and the trees, your personal desires, and the demands of the situation. In both strategy games and martial arts, you can't control the entire board (time-space) unless you can see the entire board.
Look and navigate. Watch and do. Watch your opponent and make your decisions. This is a given in every head-to-head strategy game, but fortunately for us, this principle remains largely overlooked in martial arts.
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