86,400

We often tell the story about the number 86,400 during class at First Choice Martial Arts. We will position during the lesson that if you were to imagine at the beginning of each day somebody was to deposit $86,400 into your bank account, wouldn’t that be exciting? Invariably the kids always answer with an emphatic Yes! We then say, now imagine if that $86,400 was also depleted at the end of the day how much money would you have left over?

After a little pondering the kids, will figure it out and answer zero dollars. Although this is correct, the rollercoaster of excitement at the beginning day is only lost when they realize the money goes unclaimed and wasted at the end of the day. We then position the question a little differently and give them the option of spending all the money throughout the day before the funds are withdrawn. From there we then give them the idea of being allowed to do this each day and how they could use it differently each time. From there we then explain to the kids that this would continue day after day, and it would be a great opportunity to do some positive things with the money deposited into their account. They then think of all the good things and people they could help and how it could not only impact their lives but also the lives around them.

After the message really starts to sink in, we then reveal the big secret. There are exactly 86,400 seconds in each day and what you do with that time is of great significance. Some people will use every second to the best of their ability while others will waste it doing meaningless tasks. If you were to keep a log all the time spent wasted versus invested, you might be a little surprised. From TV, TikTok, gaming and other things, you might be a little disappointed with how you spend some of your day.

Fortunately for humans, time is the one commodity that is equal no matter your circumstance. How we use this time is of great importance and can ultimately determine your fate. With spring weather and the shifting of season, let’s not let things affect our action as we move towards the summer. Use this moment in time to be a better student and make your journey to Black Belt excellence a success. The power of now followed up with action might be just what you need to make this one of the best ways to end the school year.

Good luck and train wisely and always remember, “The bad news is time flies, but the good news is you’re the pilot!“

Sensei Chris