Musashi isn't simply urging humility—he's describing a kind of perceptual reversal that changes how you move through existence. Most people do the opposite: they think heavily of themselves (their worries, status, desires) while skimming the surface of the world around them. What makes this counsel so strange and useful is that it promises a paradox: by releasing your grip on self-importance, you gain sharper attention for what matters. A surgeon who stops fretting about her reputation and instead concentrates wholly on the patient's anatomy will perform better work than one constantly measuring herself against her peers.