Investigate This Thoroughly

I was reading The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi on my walk. It’s a meditation on his life as a Japanese swordsman who was undefeated in his 62 duels. He was also a strategist, writer, and artist. And he wrote The Book of Five Rings in his final years as he reflected on his own lived experience.

Like Sun Tzu using war as the material, Musashi revealed foundational principles using the art of swordsmanship. But what was most interesting to me is how he regularly ended his thoughts. He would frequently say:

“You should investigate this thoroughly.“

“You should practice this thoroughly.”

“You should understand this thoroughly.”

Investigation, practice, understanding. This is the same process as KnowFlow.

He didn’t state anything as a certain truth. He expressed his opinions based on his own lived experience, but encouraged the reader to draw their own conclusions through their own lived experience. Investigate it yourself and stay curious. Practice it to embody it. And then get it in your bones by deeply understanding why it works.

Said another way: think about it, try it for yourself, and understand why it worked (or not).

You should investigate this thoroughly.