Focus On

Success is Your Choice

When you first enrolled in martial arts class, you had in your mind the goal to become healthy and safe by training your mind, body, and spirit. These are the three areas that will help you become a good black belt. When you choose to be successful, you set a long -term goal. That goal is broken down into short-term goals that lead up to your ultimate achievement.

Creat a list of your long-term goals. Be sure to review it daily. Then, work on the short-term goals. One short-term goal that will help you achieve black belt and succeed at reaching your goal is to set a date for when you expect to test for black belt. Next, give your best effort mentally, physically, and spiritually as you train in class. Execute your techniques with focus and concentration to put the maximum speed and power into your movements. Refining your physical skills will help you pass each belt level on your way to black belt.

As you improve physically, you will also improve mentally by focusing on your school’s philosophy. Memorize your school’s rules, student oath, student creed, and anything that represents your school’s philosophy. As you memorize these things, begin to internalize them with action. Practice daily the principles that your martial art teaches, such as respecting and helping each other by assisting lower belts in your class. Explaining skills to someone else helps you internalize it better for yourself. There is an old saying: “teaching is learning twice.”

To become successful, you must have desire. Desire means commitment, dedication, drive, and determination to excel. You must be passionately addicted to finding out about your art in every one of its aspects, purely for the sake of knowing. As you practice every block, strike, takedown or kick, focus on your target with intensity. Intensity is a very important part of desire. It is desire in action. Those who have real desire transform it into goals. Desire must be stated and committed to. Set goals–high goals. Desire is transcendental; today will always be better than yesterday.

What do they call someone who focuses hard and trains for success? A true champion who practices success is your choice philosophy. This mindset will help you stay focused on success and reaching your goals.

Remember, success is your choice, so choose to be successful!