Diamond Discipline
After this month’s graduation ceremony, you could see the energy and enthusiasm impacting our students most positively. With the crowds at grad, it could’ve been easy to get nervous and pull back from the pressures, but it didn’t seem to have an impact at all.
Instead, what we saw was a unique competitiveness amongst the groups in a way that increased the intensity and performances alike. You could see each group would come up a little stronger than the previous as the ranks got higher and higher throughout the ceremony. It was what we call in class a positive peer pressure and it seemed to take hold on that evening of the 16th of December.
When it comes to pressure, it is fair to say that not all pressure is bad, and it is important to look for ways that uplift and move us towards the things that we feel are positive for us. In martial arts, being strong, confident, and focused is a great thing, and when we can use the synergy of a class to improve, it is a win-win for all those involved. Winning does matter, and it isn’t always measured on the scoreboard but rather the scoreboard of life. Looking for ways to get better and move towards your goal is a winning mentality and it is the only mentality we want to see in the class. That mental toughness is a muscle like any other and it is what will help propel each student to that goal of Black Belt Excellence.
So, as we propel into 2024, let’s hit the ground running and look for ways to continue sharpening our mental edge. That diamond-like sharpness has likely served you well these past few years and will set up a stronger and better 2024 if you continue to apply it. Remember a diamond is merely a lump of coal that did well under tremendous pressure and stood with the patience of time.
So, what’s going to be for you, coal, or diamond?
Sensei Chris