Adaptation.

I am working on breaking things down Barney-style, mainly for my own piece of mind, which involves taking a cold hard look at current trends and being blatantly honest with myself about what it is I am doing.
I cannot be caught up in the awe of Culture or Tradition, but that does not mean I ignore them.

How do we make things work? We cannot just make things work, we have to look at what is there and see how it works, the issue itself cannot be forced. If it doesn't work in one context then what context will allow it to work with minimal effort?
Frame of mind, again, plays a huge role in everything. Take a walk on the wild side, you cannot apply something in the normal day-to-day frame of mind and you have to be able to disconnect and reconnect at will.
Your Boss giving you a reprimand does not mean that you turn around and punch them in the face, no, there is a sense of propriety and civility in civilian life, and there are also rules to be followed with severe consequences when they are not.

You pay, say, $60 a month for lessons and you expect a return, depending on what your goal is in whatever it is you undertake.
Have you even thought seriously about any of that, or did it seem like the thing to do at the time? Maybe you just wanted some bragging rights? Bragging rights only go so far and, stepping over the line, make you seem like an egotistical dumbass to those around you.
Furthermore, how can you be certain of the return? Especially when you have not thought about what return it is you are expecting for yourself?

For me, I see a lot of things going south just looking outside. When I get on the Bus to go to work, or come home from work, I hear people talking. Just the other day there was a fight in the back of the Bus.
My goals, as such, may not be the same as your goals. Again with the goals, I know, beating a dead horse, but for me it is extremely important to know which direction I am heading and when I am in a situation like that it is just me, maybe a patron or two, but just me.
My Teachers are not present, my Students are not present, and I know I will not be present when they face similar situations.

Some may say 'Just take a different Bus.' Sure, perhaps that is an option, but if you know the Bus system of Spokane you would think twice about that statement. I do not go to bars anymore, but often I cannot avoid every single 'troubled spot' or every single situation.
What did I do wrong? Sometimes it can be stated like that, sometimes it cannot. Sometimes you just cannot avoid it, trouble does find you and will find you in very strange and unexpected places.

That is not to sound pessimistic, or even paranoid; I don't spend my time looking constantly over my shoulder, but I do take note of what is going on in whatever surroundings I happen to find myself in my day-to-day activities.
My own way of thinking reflects this, as well as past experiences I have had in life. Anyone can say what they want to say, they can give advice, certainly, maybe even good advice, but more often than not it is opinion and opinions don't carry much weight in my book.
I have some great Teachers, and I am thankful to them for what they have offered me, that is why I take what they have taught and apply it, examine it, attempt to take it to the next level, attempt to develop it personally.
Sometimes that requires a critical examination in the moment, after an experience like the one on the Bus (and these are happening more frequently, not just in the back either).

When things break down it is only natural to wonder at the chaos and how you are going to make it through, not unscathed, but at least in a manner that ensures you can keep going.
You can disarm things verbally, but sometimes that does not work, sometimes you are not directly involved, but someone grabs you by the scruff of the jacket or shirt and pulls you into the mix.
It is not fun, it is not pretty, it is not nice to think about. That is where things are heading, and when you can get there without losing your soul, you may be a bit more conscious of it, but at the end of the day, you keep going, you adapt, and you find ways to adapt what you are doing to suit your needs.