If you want it, work for it. It's that simple!

One of the most exciting things about trying something new is the ability to make enormous progress in a short amount of time. I’m sure all of us can think of a time, in our lives, when we picked up a new skill in a matter of months, possibly weeks, days, and even hours to only succeed with something we once previously could not do.

This is the great thing about trying new things, it allows us as humans to grow our skill sets with little or no risk of failure. Think about it, if you couldn’t do it before it’s not like you’ve lost something you’ve only begun. It is impossible to fail if you refuse to quit. The experience and knowledge you will acquire will only prepare you to make better decisions in the future.

In karate class, we see this all the time when a brand-new white belt will make huge leaps within the first few months of training. This transformation reinforces their self-esteem, improves their ability to concentrate, and promotes their general well-being. You might look at it in a way that it only takes a white belt effort to get those white belt results. However, students rarely want to stay as white belts, so they began to formulate a bigger plan for future success, and they begin their path to Black Belt Excellence.

Now let’s fast forward a few months or even years and students will figure out that it begins to take more and more effort to achieve the same results. It might take 10 times the effort to make it to that last 10% of progress. For an undisciplined person, this can become a tedious task if they cannot focus on the bigger picture. The ability to discipline oneself and continue with repetition will ultimately be a bigger determining factor in each student’s martial arts success.

In life, this happens all the time when people get so close to the finish line only to give up on themselves. That last 10% is usually the difference between success and failure and it is at that moment in time we need to be the best at our game. The number 10% doesn’t seem like a big number but when it requires 110% Effort, 110% commitment, 110% focus, and on and on the number can start to become a little bigger than it appears.

There is no playbook for success, but we at First Choice Martial Arts have seen it time and time again; if you can stay motivated, committed, and disciplined the reward will be substantial. Let’s continue to give it your all and see if you can do even more in the weeks ahead as we prepare for our upcoming belt exams and graduation.

If you want it, work for it. It’s that simple!

Sensei Chris