CommonSensei
Your Personal Growth Guru
The DNA of CommonSensei com·mon /ˈkämən/ (origin Latin) sen·sei /ˈsenˌsā,senˈsā/ (origin Japanese). Let’s break it down. “Common” is an adjective of sound judgment based on perception of facts or the situation. Simply put, it describes things that should be standard or well known. “Sensei” is a noun synonymous with teacher, but it’s not exclusive to karate, not at all. In Japan it is a blanket term for doctors, lawyers, politicians etc. Its literal translation is even more symbolic: Sen (先) translates as before and sei (生) means birth, making the definition “one born before.” In laymen’s terms, Sensei is someone with loads of experience and knowledge (been there, done that). When we drop the “i” from Sensei, we of course have “Sense,” which for our purpose is the ability to make reasonable decisions. You will be majoring in the forgotten sense—common. While logic offers a single answer to a problem, common sense seems to defy the odds. The most powerful supercomputer in the world, in all its grandeur, still can’t replicate the common sense of a seven-year old child, just as a driverless Tesla can’t outwit a savvy New York City cabbie during rush hour (at least not in my lifetime). Intuition is the ultimate act of trusting yourself, and it is what makes humans unique. Artificial intelligence is cool, but some things are immeasurable like the faith of a pastor, or the size of Rudy’s ❤. Rudy you say? Trust me, grab some popcorn and stream it ASAP. The fun begins when we morph ‘em all together.
The synergy of “Common” and “Sensei” is best described by a mashup of famous characters (past and present). Let’s mix the wisdom of Mr. Miyagi and Yoda with the intelligence of Professor Dumbledore and Gandalf; the awareness of John Wick with the charisma of Ferris Bueller; the poise of Doc Holiday with the spirit of Katniss Everdeen; the class of the Great Gatsby with the street smarts of Tony Soprano; the Spidey senses of Peter Parker with the confidence of Black Panther; and the grit of Creed with the motivation and intensity of his coach, Rocky Balboa🥊. Ironically, CommonSensei is anything but common; he’s a master of “life skills.” If I didn’t believe in myself, why would you or anyone else read this book or come to me with tough questions? Go ahead; ask me anything! Truth be told, I don’t have all the answers, but in my Liam Neeson voice, “what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career.” I’m a jack of all trades. I know what you are thinking, so I’ll say it out loud, “Master of none!” That puts a negative spin on things, so bear with me. It’s all about interpretation, and I prefer the extended version, “Jack of all trades, master of none, but often times better than master of one” — that’s sexier. To me, when we’re all in, that little rhyme is the best hand ♦♣♠♥. While we do tend to “ace” something, be it our college degree or passion, it’s broad-based knowledge outside our expertise that helps us have a winning hand in life. I’m your wild card 🃏 and what I can’t teach you, I do know who, what, when and where to lead you. Think of me as a dealer of life hacks, calling out bluffs and stacking the deck in your favor. Life’s a gamble, but CommonSensei will help you raise the stakes and beat the odds by learning a new strategy. Read more
If you are ready to embark upon the ultimate personal growth journey, then enter my dojo of life skills!
Bow
Bill Viola Jr.
