Miyagi tin rằng mục đích cuối cùng của karate-do là xây dựng nhân cách, vượt qua nỗi đau bản thân và tìm sự tự do cho linh hồn.[15]

He stated that it was important to balance training for self-defense with "training the mind, or cultivating the precept karate-do ni sente nashi ('there is no first strike in karate')"; he also emphasized the importance of "cultivating intellect before strength".[16]

Miyagi chose the name Goju-ryu ("go" meaning "hard" and "ju" meaning "soft"), to emphasize that his style integrated both "hard" and "soft" styles. Goju applies not just to karate, but to life in general; only hardness or only softness will not enable one "to deal effectively with the fluctuations of life". When blocking, "the body is soft and inhaling"; when striking, the body is "hard and exhaling".[2]