Goal Setting 101

The Choong Sil Kwan philosophy is, at the very least, a system for setting goals.  If there is anything that I want you to gain from your study of Tae Kwon Do, it is the power of mental focus, self discipline, and the ability to achieve anything in life that you want through the discipline of setting goals.

The following is a guideline for goal setting that will give you a clearer picture of what goals are, how to set them, and (most importantly) how to achieve them.

1. If it is not in writing, it is not a goal.  An unwritten want is a wish or a dream, but it is not a goal.  If it is in writing,then it becomes a commitment.

2. If it’s not specific, it’s not a goal. Vague desires  have no effect. It must be concrete.

3. Goals must be believable. If you don’t believe you can achieve a goal, you won’t pay the price for it.

4. An effective goal is always an exciting challenge. It must demand your best and a bit more or it isn’t going to change your ways and elevate your lifestyle.

5. Goals must be adjusted to new information. Adjust them down if they become unbelievable or up if they’re too easy.

6. Dynamic goals guide our choices. If you want it badly enough, you’ll turn off the TV and get to it. Goals will show you the right way to go on most decisions.

7. Don’t set short-term goals for more than 90 days. If you set a short-term goal that takes more than 90 days, you may lose interest.

8. Maintain a balance between long-term and short-term goals. Long-term goals tend to be hidden in a fog of the future, so have some short-term goals to keep your level of excitement up.

9. Include your loved ones in your goals. Involve them and they’ll back you up when you need encouragement.

10. Set goals in all areas of your life. Have other goals besides career and school objectives.

11. Your goals must harmonize with one another. Whenever you detect a conflict, set priorities that will eliminate the conflict.

12. Review your goals regularly. Remember, long-term goals can only be achieved if they are the culmination of short-term goals.

13. Set vivid goals. Define not only what you want but when you want it, and concentrate on it for a few moments every day.

14. Don’t chisel your goals in granite. Sometimes you have to change goals to conform to your growing awareness of what’s really important in your life.

15. Reach out into the future. The idea of goal-setting is to plan your life rather than taking it as it comes. Begin by setting 20-year goals. Then 10-year, five-year, three year, one year, monthly, weekly, and daily.  In other words, start with where you want to be 20 years from now and work backward.

16. Have a set of goals for every day, and review results each night. Use a day planner.

17. Train yourself to crave your goals. Visualize yourself possessing what you’ve set your goals for.

18. Set activity goals, not production goals. Activity will lead to production by itself.

19. Understand luck, and make it work for you. Expect good things to happen, and they probably will.

20. Start right NOW. Give goal-setting two hours of concentrated thought today. Then set aside 10 minutes a day for the next 21 days to review and revise. After that, two minutes a day and one hour a week is all it will take to keep you on track.

Try this system if you want to achieve your goals and within 21 days you’ll be well on your way to an immensely greater and richer future.

See you in class,

Brian Twitty

Unleashing the Power – Tony Robbins

Helping people reach their greatest potential

Marc  Figueroa  December 2, 2008

Tony Robbins has coached U.S. presidents, Fortune 500 CEOs, sports and entertainment superstars—all seeking strategies to reach the next level in their lives and careers. People often call upon Robbins to help remove barriers holding them back and to inspire them to take action. This master motivator is equally adept at keeping a crowd of 10,000 people on its feet for hours. He’s also addressed the World Economic Forum, British Parliament and Harvard Business School.

Robbins’ message goes beyond positive thinking; intelligent thinking is what drives him. He understands that when people are feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and fearful, they’re rarely capable of brilliant analysis and decision-making.

“Confidence and competence is not the same thing,” Robbins tells SUCCESS, following his return from a recent seminar tour through Australia and India. “No one should go into their garden and chant, “There are no weeds. There are no weeds. There are no weeds.” For people to be true leaders, they have to first see things as they are, not worse. Then see it better than it is, and then make it the way you see it.

“The bottom line is that people have within them a force that is so powerful, there is nothing that can keep them from doing, being, sharing, creating and giving whatever they envision in life,” Robbins continues. “My entire life is helping people unleash that power. Nothing drives me more than to see someone or an organization transform and begin to pursue goals with a purpose that inspires them, and gives them a greater sense of meaning—in not only what they do, but who they are.”

Harnessing Emotion to Fuel Change

As economic uncertainty continues to shake Wall Street and Main Street, many success-minded professionals are being put to the test. Robbins’ work is particularly relevant now, when people can call on his tools to keep their heads together and develop what he calls “emotional fitness.”

“If you’re psychologically strong enough, you can not only survive, but you can thrive when tough situations occur, as opposed to letting the environment control you and take over,” he says. “It’s really about mastering strength within yourself so that you can conquer the outer world around you.”

Robbins continues to attract thousands of people to packed arenas all over the world, seeking to take their lives to the next level. The human spirit is what inspires him. Human potential actualized is what drives him.

But momentum wasn’t always on his side. The 48-year-old Robbins vividly remembers the days when he was living in a stark, 400-square-foot apartment in Venice, Calif., and reduced to washing dishes in the bathtub. He was 30 pounds overweight, had a dead-end job, and in relationships that weren’t working.

“I was extremely unhappy and couldn’t stand who I was because I knew I had the potential to be so much more,” he says. “I think there are many people who can relate to what I was experiencing—the pain of being in a rut and feeling like there’s no way out.

“There are many people who live in what I call ‘No-man’s Land,’ a place where you’re not really happy, but you’re not unhappy enough to do anything about it,” he says. “That’s a dangerous place. It’s a place where people numb themselves to their dreams. It’s where they dismiss hope and accept what’s in front of them instead of driving toward what they really want in life. I lived there for a time, but I eventually hit rock bottom, and I’m glad I did because it forced me to take action. My only option for survival was to dig deep—to summon my courage, determination, faith, compassion and commitment to transform my life. I learned so much from that experience because I used those negative feelings to fuel my change. For me, I had no choice. I had to change.”

Breaking Through Limitations

That change has resulted in big business for Robbins, who serves as chairman of five companies all geared toward his creed of improving the quality of life for people around the world. Robbins Research International Inc., based in San Diego, stages more than 100 events a year, offers professional coaching services and a variety of multimedia programs, including his best-selling The Ultimate Edge and Personal Power CD programs, which have sold more than 35 million units worldwide. He also created the award-winning Namale Resort and Spa in Fiji, where he also spends a few months each year.

But none of the success he enjoys would ever have happened if he hadn’t been able to find a way to break through his own limitations. He had to get clear about what he really wanted and harness the fuel of human emotion to force himself to consistently take action to make his dreams a reality. “I was my first client,” he says.

Robbins has worked directly with more than 3.5 million people from more than 100 countries. And he’s as active as ever, often spending more than 15 hours on stage per day for a four-day event. That may sound crazy to some, but for Robbins, it’s just another day at the office.

“I’m obsessed with finding what makes the difference in the quality of people’s lives,” Robbins says, “I’m always reading, interviewing extraordinary individuals, studying their patterns and experimenting on how to integrate what I’ve learned to make a difference in peoples’ lives. The energy that comes from connecting and helping to make a difference with thousands of people at once, or one-on-one, is the juice of life for me. When you’re giving everything you have and those you’re working with are throwing it back at you five times as hard, it’s absolutely incredible. It’s an extraordinary experience, so powerful that I get swept up in those magical moments. Sometimes I come off stage and I think it’s 8 at night, and I’m reminded that it’s 1 o’clock in the morning.”

His business of helping others help themselves didn’t grow overnight. When he started 30 years ago, Robbins was a pioneer in personal and professional development—which is a $10 billion industry today. Along the way, Robbins says he probably failed more times than he succeeded. But he looks at failures simply as results or outcomes that he learns from each time.

Science of Achievement

“Unfortunately, we’re programmed to fear this thing called ‘failure,’ so we try everything we can to avoid it, which is pointless,” he says. “Failure is often necessary for real learning to occur. But the answer is simple. If you didn’t get the results you want, learn from the experience so that you have references about how to make better decisions the next time around. People who fear failure internalize their mistakes, and when they try to go after something in the future, they might think, “Well, I tried to go after a dream before and look what happened.” This is what keeps people from taking the very action that could move them to accomplish their goals. Too many people want to avoid any hint of a problem. But overcoming obstacles is what gives us psychological strength—it’s the very thing that forms character.”

Over the years, Robbins has noticed patterns in what makes people succeed or fail, what makes them feel happy or sad, and what it is that creates a life of meaning and fulfillment versus a life of frustration and despair. He saw it early on in his own life, and he sees it in the people he spends time with today—whether it’s a hungry entrepreneur, a seasoned corporate executive or a mid-level manager.

“I can tell you, after working with millions of people for more than three decades, success is no accident in any environment,” Robbins says. “There are rules of the game that, if followed, will lead to consistent success. There are logical patterns of action, and specific pathways to excellence that I call the science of achievement. But none of that means much without the art of fulfillment. I have seen business moguls achieve their ultimate goals but still live in frustration, worry and fear. What’s preventing these successful people from being happy? The answer is they have focused only on achievement and not fulfillment. Extraordinary accomplishment does not guarantee extraordinary joy, happiness, love and a sense of meaning. These two skill sets feed off each other, and makes me believe that success without fulfillment is failure.”

The father of life coaching answers some questions about failure and success, and everything in between.

Q: How did you go from living in a small apartment, practically broke, to the successful and fulfilled person you are today?

Anthony Robbins: I took advantage of my intense pain, and I turned it into the fuel for action. When you’re living in a 400-square-foot bachelor apartment, cooking on a hotplate above your trash can and washing your dishes in the bathtub, you have to start looking at yourself. On top of that I was 30 pounds overweight, had a job that was going nowhere, and I was in relationships I hated. What changed me? I had a series of experiences with frustration at myself, and moved into unbelievable humiliation. I began to realize that who I was as a man—how I was living mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually and financially—was far less of a man than who I really was inside. When I hit that threshold of pain, I didn’t know at the time what I was doing, but I decided at the very minimum I was going to go on a run.

You have to understand; I hadn’t run or exercised intensely for probably three years. But at the peak of that physical intensity, my nervous system was wired. I had made radical changes in my body. So I grabbed a journal there on the beach, drew a line in the middle of the page, and on one side wrote everything I would no longer stand for in my life, which was virtually everything I was living at the time. And on the other side I wrote everything I was now committed to. But I didn’t yet know how I was going to make the change. I knew what I was going to change and why. This is the day that I turned my life around. It unleashed me. I began to search for the answers, but instead of just reading about them, or hearing them, I began to apply them. And I changed everything in my life. I lost 30 pounds in a little more than 30 days. I transformed emotionally, physically, spiritually and financially. Within a year, I had begun to live the dreams that I once thought were impossible. I’d tell anyone that if you’re going to change your life, you have to:

1. Decide what you will no longer stand for and what you’?re committed to. Clarity is power.
2. Take massive action. You have to be willing to do the things you don’t want to do. You have to build a momentum that consistent action produces.
3. Notice what’s working and what’s not working. And when it’s not working, change your approach. And keep changing until you finally achieve what it is you’re committed to.

Q: You talk about people living an extraordinary life. What is your definition of an extraordinary life?

AR: I think the answer is different for everyone. Ultimately, an extraordinary life is life on your terms. For some people it might be creating their own business or starting a nonprofit foundation. For others it may be making several million dollars. For someone else it might be the ultimate satisfaction of raising a son or daughter to be an extraordinary soul. It could be creating a garden, writing a poem or just truly enjoying every breath of life. I think the most important thing is for you to defi ne what would be an extraordinary life for you today because it changes as our lives change. We don’t want to be living off an old script. Otherwise, you may fi nd yourself with one of those insane moments where you actually achieved your goal and then your brain says, ‘Is this all there is’ There’s no worse feeling in life. Take a moment to update your wish list and ask yourself, ‘If my life was truly extraordinary, if it was magnificent, by my own definition, what would my life be like today: physically, emotionally, with my family, in my career, in my level of happiness?’ Set the standard for yourself so your brain, body and soul know what you’re committed to creating.

For me personally, an extraordinary life is living what you were made for. For me, that means, first of all, giving and sharing love, and I’m truly blessed to have that kind of love in my relationship with my wife, Sage. But an extraordinary life for me is also finding a way to make a difference for others to grow and love. The driving force in my life is to help make a measurable difference in the quality of life for people everywhere. It is my greatest joy to share the tools and strategies for creating a life of meaning and fulfillment. Nothing stokes me more than to see someone or an organization transform and begin to pursue goals with a purpose that inspires them, and gives them a greater sense of meaning—in not only what they do, but who they are.

Q: How have you learned from your past setbacks and failures?

AR: Like most people, I’ve had as many, if not more failures than successes. But what’s been helpful is that I’ve worked hard to learn from these mistakes so I don’t have to repeat them. I realized along the way that if we can learn from our mistakes, we can create shortcuts that can help us to make a measurable difference for other people in their lives. When you recognize a pattern for failure, you can avoid it. And when you recognize a pattern for success, you can take the on-ramp for what you want much more quickly. I call these ‘Pathways to Power.’ And my life is truly about sharing those strategies, those pathways, those shortcuts that allow us to save ourselves time and pain. Ultimately, what I’ve learned, though, is that life is not about success or failure; it’s about meaning. It’s about the interpretation we give to each event in our life—and not the event itself. Meanings are shaped by what we believe and what we value.

Just remember, two people can have the same circumstances, but they pull different meanings from it, and therefore a different set of emotions, actions, and a different life.

Q: You are sometimes referred to as a motivational speaker. Is that an accurate description?

AR: My work has never been about motivation. It’s true that when people see news coverage of my seminars they see 10,000 people jumping or celebrating. I just understand that in order to get peak performance, you have to get people in a peak state. What we do is based on the state we’re in. And training people’s minds and bodies to be at their best is exciting and rewarding.

But ultimately, who I really am is the ‘Why’ guy. If somebody says to me, ‘I don’t need any motivation,’ I’ll say, ‘That’s obvious. You’re already motivated. What I want to know is: What is your motive for action? I want to know, for example, why you claim that you want to lose weight, yet each day, you seem to be motivated to eat things that cause you to gain weight.’ The ultimate question is ‘Why?’ And when you can answer this question, you can change your life forever. Part of my job is to help people uncover the inner conflicts that hold them back, to find the conflicts in their motivations. When you can uncover these conflicts and shift them, you can change anything in your life.

Q: It seems there’s more uncertainty in the world now than ever. What do you say to people who are uncertain about their future?

AR: It’s true the world has changed dramatically over the last few years, and it’s going to continue to change. The pace of change is more rapid than ever. But one thing is constant—there are seasons in everyone’s life just as there are seasons in nature. There’s a passageway that, if you see it, it will pull you out of the uncertainty and guide you on how to maximize this time in your life. The transformation of the quality of life for early humanity came when seasons were recognized. Until then, man had to wander as a hunter and gatherer, moving from place to place. But once we understood the seasons, we knew when to plant, when to protect, when to reap. And man could have roots. He could have sustainability. He could have certainty for his future.

These kinds of seasons not only shape our personal lives, but there are seasons in history as well. Every 100 years has roughly four primary seasons in it. If you’re a student of history, you know there are economic cycles, and cycles of war. You think things are tough today? If you were born in 1910, what was happening in the world by the time you were 19 years old? It was 1929 and the Great Depression occurred. In the next major cycle in life, around 29 years old, World War II broke out. And yet this generation faced these incredible challenges—this financial, emotional and international winter if you would—and by fighting through it, they built a psychological and emotional muscle that makes us still call them the ‘Great Generation.’

The secret to life is threefold. It’s to understand what season of life you’re in, to understand what season the world is in, and to figure out how to take advantage of it. I teach everyone in my seminars how to find the season they’re in, which is different for everyone, and to take advantage of it. That’s the secret to experiencing an extraordinary life.

Where the Rubber Meets the Road: The Intersection of Martial Arts Philosophy and Real Life

Rubber Meets Road: The Intersection of Martial Arts Philosophy and Real Life by Sensei Jason Gould
Back in 2001, as part of my Nidan (second degree black belt) examination, I was asked to write an essay in response to the question,
“How have the philosophies of the martial arts influenced your life?”

This is what I came up with:

I took my first karate class at age 6 — there were no other boys my age
in our neighborhood for me to play with, and my mother thought karate
classes would be a good way for me to make some friends. I actually
still remember that first lesson with clarity. More than anything, I
remember that I wasn’t very impressed with the class, but karate was
something to do, and there were other boys there. So, I agreed to sign
up. Now, as I turn 30 and look back to the start of my karate training,
I can see that the martial arts have affected me on every level of my
life: physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Indeed, the
martial philosophies I have learned over the years color the way I
interpret the world, and I know that I will continue training for the
rest of my life.

I’ve always enjoyed hard physical training, and I strongly believe that the confidence and discipline I learned from
pushing myself in the dojo has contributed to my successes in the
military and in the corporate world. My physical study of the martial
arts has stimulated my mind: I’ve amassed a library of more than 200
books, not only about the martial arts, but also about eastern culture,
history, and philosophy. Through my own readings and through the
teachings of my instructors, I feel that I have become a more spiritual
person. For all of its violent, combative applications, karate has
contributed to my emotional stability, and I feel that as a result of
my training I have developed a more peaceful, balanced disposition.

Ethics and Morality

Sensei Kim is fond of repeating the following saying:

Watch your thoughts; they become your words.
Watch your words; they become your actions.
Watch your actions; they become your habits.
Watch your habits; they become your character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Through their own example, my instructors have taught me that karate is more
than physical, and that our core values — respect, compassion, honor,
integrity, and gratitude — are more than a list of words to be
memorized. Indeed, our core values are a list of principles to be
internalized — they become part of our personalities over time. The
more we meditate on our core values and discuss them with each other,
the more we will recognize them in our actions and in the actions of
those around us. I am happy to report that the values I have learned in
the dojo compliment and overlap the leadership traits and principles
that I learned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps.

By observing the actions of my instructors and the senior students in the
dojo, I have also discovered the martial arts values of generosity and
humility. All of my peers are eager and willing to share their karate
knowledge and insights, but the giving does not stop there. Everyone in
the dojo is also quick to lend a hand or a dollar to a classmate,
without any hesitation or expectation of reciprocation. It is beautiful
and touching to observe. The most talented individuals in the dojo are
paradoxically also the most self-effacing and humble. Their egos fully
in check, they are admirable role models to follow.

As we absorb the intangible teachings of the dojo, our martial arts practice becomes
a constant lesson in morality. Our Dojo Kun is a set of moral
instructions that we can apply equally both inside of the dojo and in
our daily lives:

Seek perfection of character
Be faithful
Endeavor
Respect others
Refrain from all violent action

Over the years, the meaning behind my karate training has been changing for
me. I’m constantly striving for physical improvement in the dojo — I’ve
got lots of room for it — and
the focus of my karate training is still the perfection of my basics
and kata. However, I know that practically anyone can learn to kick and
punch in a fairly short amount of time, and I have learned by degrees
that another goal of my karate training is the perfection of my
character.

Beyond physical training, the dojo brings me face-to-face with my own ego, insecurities, and fears. When I see that
someone on the dojo floor is more skilled than I am, I’m ashamed to
admit that my ego makes a quick comparison, and I push myself just a
little harder. Perhaps this is healthy, but nevertheless, I constantly
remind myself to tend to my own garden. When I see someone who is not
as skilled as I, I resist the urge to feel accomplished, and I look for
a way to help that person improve. When my sensei or a senior student
points out a flaw in my form or mistake that I have made, my ego
attempts to resist the truth. Ultimately, I cannot hide from myself,
and I know when I’m not doing my best on the dojo floor. Because these
experiences carry over to other aspects of my life, I also know when
I’m not doing my best at work, and in my personal relationships. In all
three areas, I try to correct my flaws and shortcomings when I become
aware of them.

Learning the Art of War

My practice of the martial arts has made me a more strategic thinker. As a
Marine, I was required to learn both classical and modern combat
tactics and battlefield strategy: the employment of troops, limitations
of weapons systems, the effects of terrain and weather, logistics,
intelligence, and more. Even today, Sun Tzu’s The Art of War is on the
reading list for Marine lieutenants. Because of my martial arts
training, I have also read the strategic writings of Miyamoto Musashi,
Yagyu Munenori, and others. The scaleable teachings of all of these men
can be equally applied to combat between individuals, armies, or
nations.

The principles of sen, go no sen, and sen no sen that I have learned from my teachers in the dojo has also made a great
impression on me, and I’ve learned to apply these strategic principles
in less martial settings. At work, I’ve discovered how to best take
advantage of the relationships between different departments, and how
personalities can play a role in corporate politics. I know whom to
ally myself with, when to push my agenda, and when to be quiet. At
home, I’ve learned how to choose my battles more carefully, be more
flexible, and determine what is really important in life. Most
importantly, at work and at home, I constantly strive to “win without
fighting”, and I try to avoid conflict altogether.

The Dojo is My Family

My karate training is high on my personal list of priorities, second only
to my wife and family. In fact, the dojo members have become so much a
part of my family, and the sense of community in our dojo has become so
strong, that the two aspects of my life have become virtually
indistinguishable from one another. My dojo mates and their families
have grown together into a tightly knit support structure. As a pack,
we work out together in the dojo, and socialize together on the
weekends. We celebrate together at weddings, and cry together at
funerals. Always, we celebrate each other’s achievements and comfort
each other in hard times. I am honored and blessed to have such unique
and loving people in my life.

For these reasons, while I tremendously enjoy the work I do for a living, at a basic level, my
work is what I do between karate lessons. The samurai value of loyalty
is strong in our dojo, and the commitment to the dojo by its members is
unquestionable. Sensei Ricci has always taught us, “Don’t give up the
night.” He has said that every time you miss a class, it makes it
easier for you to miss the next one. I’ve slipped into a slump from
time to time, teetering on the edge of what we call “the black hole.”
However, we all know that if either student or teacher fails to make it
to class, there is no dojo. We have a responsibility to each other to
make it to class. All of us willingly make a small sacrifice every
night we train: we understand that every hour we spend in the class is
an hour away from family, career, other hobbies, laundry, the lawn,
personal time, and more. Out of love, respect, and commitment to my
extended martial arts family, I have resolved to make the dojo my
“appointed place of duty” on karate nights, scheduling almost every
other activity around my training. Week after week, we come to train.
Sick or injured, we come to train. In summer’s brutal heat and in
winter’s bitter cold, we come to train. This is what we do.

The Dancer and the Dance

I have always appreciated the simple beauty that is inherent in the
martial arts. Setting combat practicality aside, I find the movements
the Asian martial arts — particularly the movements of karate, tai chi,
aikido, and iaido – to be unspeakably beautiful. There is nothing more
pleasurable for me than to watch the performance of someone who is well
advanced in the martial arts: it is indeed art! At the highest levels,
there is no distinction between the performer and the performance. I
see in others’ effortless effort a shadowy hint of what is possible for
me to express by means of my own body. I discovered the best expression
of this concept in the following excerpt from Among Schoolchildren by W. B. Yeats:

Labour is blossoming or dancing where
The body is not bruised to pleasure soul.
Nor beauty born out of its own despair,
Nor blear-eyed wisdom out of midnight oil.
O chestnut-tree, great-rooted blossomer,
Are you the leaf, the blossom or the bole?
O body swayed to music, O brightening glance,
How can we know the dancer from the dance?

Practically speaking, karate training is “worthless.” You can’t see it, hear it,
taste it, smell it, or feel it when you’re not doing it – it doesn’t
exist without the actor. You can’t hold a kata in your hand; after it’s
performed, it’s gone. You can’t spend it or trade it in for something.
A painter creates something that exists long after he paints. The work
of a martial artist is fleeting — most katas only last about sixty
seconds or so – but it still communicates something pure!

Some years ago, I came across Peak Performance, a book about peak performance in sports activities. The author of the
book wrote about the relationship between the body and the mind, and
about the power of visualization and meditation. It was in this book
that I first heard the term “flow state” used to define the fleeting
feeling of effortlessness, confidence, unity, and freedom that one
feels when totally absorbed in an activity. The book spoke volumes to
me, for every now and again, when I’m at my best, in the midst of a
kata, my mind becomes the peaceful eye of my physical hurricane, and
I’m nearly overcome by a wonderful sense of peaceful detachment. My
personal experiences on the dojo floor, the lectures of Sensei Kim, and
my own readings have led me to believe that karate can serve as a
powerful link to something beyond our everyday existence. A few years
ago, I sketched out my own personal mission statement about my martial
arts training:

Budo is the vehicle through which I practice the principles of warriorship. It is an inner calling. Training mind, body and sprit gives me a sense
of purpose and the feeling that I am in control. Budo serves as a
catalyst for constant self-improvement, honest introspection, character
development, and overall well being – it is a gateway to other holistic
disciplines. Through Budo I discover myself and my relationship to the
universe; it has given me a sense of spirituality. During my journey I
create my own reality and seek the company of others who share my
vision.

My readings in Zen philosophy have taught me that only the present moment is important. Although it is difficult,
multi-layered reading, Takuan Soho’s The Unfettered Mind
is one of my favorite books. I strive to be present in all I do,
although I fail far more often than I succeed. Zen Buddhism was
attractive to the feudal samurai because its teaching cultivated a
free, unattached, spontaneous mind. Sitting meditation allowed the
samurai to focus on the present moment, and doing day-to-day activities
in the spirit of Zen was an opportunity to practice “mindfulness.”
Clearly, the ability to focus on the task at hand was valuable to the
samurai: hesitation or attachment to life on the battlefield could mean
certain death.

Modern karate training is often called a kind of moving meditation. When a person is totally focused on performing a
movement, the mind grows increasingly quiet. There is no past, no
future, and no ego: only total absorption in the current technique.
Moreover, when the moves of a kata are so thoroughly and totally
ingrained in an individual — to point that no thought is required to
execute them – performance becomes pure expression of the soul. This
stage — the “flow state” – is the goal of our training, and once we
achieve it we’ll do anything to feel it again, and lengthen the
experience. Karate training has shown me that when the mind is quiet,
wonderful things can happen: It’s the silence between the notes that makes the music.

The Principles of Warrrorship

From my training in the martial arts, I have developed a fascination with
eastern culture, concepts, and attitudes. As a United States Marine — a
modern-day warrior — I began to idealistically compare my life and
values with the lives and values of the feudal samurai of ancient
Japan. It is very easy to draw a few simple parallels across time: the
values of loyalty, bearing, tact, and physical courage are just as
prominent in the lives of Marines today as they were in the lives of
the samurai.

As I expanded my comparison, I discovered that throughout all of history, many warrior classes around the world have
also held these values dear. I examined the knights of medieval Europe,
the legionnaires of ancient Rome, the plains Indians of North America,
and others, as I sought to learn more about the warrior’s function in
society. Without realizing it at the time, on my own, I had discovered
the primary attributes of the classical warrior archetype.

Reading the works of anthropologists and sociologists gave me more insights
into the nature of the archetypal warrior. My definition of a warrior
grew beyond the realm of combat to include individuals who live an
authentic life. I came to understand that along with loyalty, bearing,
tact, and physical courage, a true warrior should also display
presence, discipline, compassion, integrity, and moral courage.
Certainly, Sun Tzu, Miyamoto Musashi, and Yagyu Munenori were warriors,
but, in a broader sense, so were contemporary figures Dr. Martin Luther
King, and Mahatma Ghandi.

A warrior is someone who, through committed action, transforms knowledge into power. Warriors seek to overcome their fears and maximize their abilities. A warrior
seeks self-mastery instead of power over others. A warrior is someone
who promotes peace and love. I believe that as marital artists, this
type of warriorship should be our ultimate aim. It is our destiny as
martial artists to become examples of outstanding moral character for
the rest of our society to emulate.

The Journey toward Mastery

Many karate students have entered our dojo with the goal of earning a black
belt. I have witnessed some students invest only the minimum amount of
work they need to do in order to achieve their black belt, while others
pursue the goal with vigor and enthusiasm. However, one thing remains
constant: those who only set their eyes on a limited goal often
disappear from the dojo shortly after obtaining it. It is unfortunate
that so many never realize that achieving their black belt is a sign
that one’s training is truly just beginning. I have observed that the
students that are “in it for the long haul” are focused on the process
of training itself, not on the trappings of status and rank.

I have learned that there is no finish line in the martial arts. More
importantly, I’ve realized that there isn’t even a race to begin.
Everyone in the dojo learns at his or her own pace and we should never
judge our progress by our rank, or by how many katas we have memorized.
The road to what outsiders call “mastery” is a lifelong journey without
end — in every aspect of our training, there is always room for
improvement, always more we can give of ourselves. As process-oriented
students, we know that sincere effort and perseverance are more
important than talent or results.

Sensei Kim has labored to teach patience to all of us. There are people in the dojo who will
never be “good” (i.e., aesthetically pleasing to watch), but they still
come every week, they still try to improve, and the dan ranks never
tire of trying to help them. The martial arts journey is different for
everyone. Whether you are practicing a martial art for self-defense or
self-discovery is unimportant. I have learned that the only important
thing is to patiently continue.

Better, Better, Better

Sensei Kim’s mantra, “Every day in every way, I’m getting better, better and better,” has had a profound effect on my life. His lectures on meditation,
visualization, prayer, positive thoughts and energy have led me to do
further reading on the power of the mind. Sensei Kim has taught us to
tap the unconscious mind and give it a goal. Over the past few years, I
have meditated, visualized, and consciously directed my mind in
positive directions. I have also actively surrounded myself with
positive, loving people. I believe that as a result, many of my dreams
and desires have manifested in my life, including a beautiful and
loving wife, a close-knit family, a challenging and rewarding job,
excellent health, and dear friends. I am truly blessed and forever
grateful.

_____________________________

I once heard the saying, “It is better to never begin; once begun, it is better to
finish.” I like to apply this maxim to my approach to martial arts. In
my own study of the martial arts, I have continually gone deeper and
deeper. I have yet to find the bottom – and I have yet to find any
evidence that there even is one. Karate is a lifetime endeavor. As I’ve
stated earlier, I will spend the rest of my days training.

It has been many years since karate ceased being “what I do” and began to
be the art by which I define myself. From my martial arts training, I
have learned about the duality of yin and yang, soft and hard, good and
evil. I am more aware of the constant changes around me, and I have
become more attuned to the changing of the seasons and the cyclical
nature of life. Through karate, I have also become more aware of my own
impermanence. As I progress in my own martial arts journey and watch my
teachers age, I realize that I too, only have so much time for physical
improvement. Technical proficiency is a worthwhile goal, but I know
that the body is limited and time is against us all. Thus, we must
bravely move beyond the physical aspect of our training to focus on
strategy and — ultimately — spiritual growth.

Excellent words of wisdom- especially for students of the martial arts!

Stick With the Plan!

An article by Sifu Charles Chi

“The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what the man or woman is able to do that counts.”

–Booker T. Washington
1856-1915, Educator and Reformer

Just prior to his 1988 heavyweight title fight with Michael Spinks, boxer Mike Tyson was told that Spinks had a plan for how to beat him.

Tyson said, “Everybody’s got a plan until they get hit.”

Spinks was knocked out in 91 seconds.

But you know, there’s nothing funny about setting goals and making plans and telling everyone about how you’re going to do this thing and that thing, and you’re going to make this much money and buy something snazzy…

Only to fall flat on your face.

See, most people look only at the big goal and never keep their minds on what needs to be done to get there.

New Year’s resolutions are like that. Big goals that are abandoned in two days because there was no real honest to goodness plan.

Just a dream. Only a dream. Nothing else.

Because it isn’t only when other people lay waste to your plans, it’s poor timing, it’s circumstances, it’s bad luck, too.

But by far, the biggest obstacle that gets in people’s way of achieving their most desired goals… those achievements that would make them so happy, is themselves.

Everyone wants the magic pill that will cure them of some health problem. Everyone is looking for the one job or the one relationship or the clothes, the house, the money that will give them a happy ever after.

But the truth is, every day, immediately after something wonderful happens or some small – or even great – victory is won, life is waiting around the corner with the next challenge for you.

Those people who live in yesterday’s successes are, as Bruce Springsteen says, living for the Glory Days, which will “pass you by… in the winkin’ of a young girl’s eye.”

So the most important thing you can do is to have long-term goals which are broken down into yearly, monthly, weekly, daily, and yes, hourly goals.

Because without benchmarks and small achievements that make you feel phenomenal on the way to the biggies, you have no joy in your daily wins. They’ll feel like nothing.

In martial arts school, they call them belt tests.

Other names for daily tests in the “real world” are responsibilities and deadlines, duties, liabilities.

They sound bad.

But in reality, regular tests are just chances to win and chances to celebrate many daily small victories. Do this often and you are known as reliable and conscientious.

So tests are not to be feared, but to be looked forward to. They let you know if you are on track or off track.

Feedback is Good. Ignorance is Bad.

Tests and small victories you get from them on the way to big, juicy triumphant accomplishments happen because they are close enough to keep us interested and excited.

What is it that happens when you are supposed to be studying, reading, exercising, working… but you aren’t?

Well, as my grandfather used to say, is that you took your eye off the ball. You see, you have to know which activities feed you in life and which ones take the food away.

Which actions pay you. And which ones make you pay.

Habitual failures call it bad luck.

Habitual successes call it being prepared.

When you have inside what it takes to stick with the plan even when temptations are all around you, even when you’d love to quit, that’s when you are close.

When you have discipline and focus, you have already won.

Haiti

I want to thank everyone who donated and raised money for the orphanage in Haiti. Obviously, I didn’t get to go. I was in Ft. Lauderdale, FL with Grandmaster Hardin and the other instructors when the earthquake happened. We were supposed to fly over into Haiti the next morning. The orphanage did not get damaged in the earthquake, but the food and water supply is extremely low. There are over 600 kids plus other volunteers at the orphanage now.  If you can help in any way, please go to the website www.freethekids.org and donate some money so we can help them get the supplies that they need.  Thank you!

Project Hope Kick-a-Thon

Parents and Students,

As you know, I am going to Haiti in January with Grandmaster Hardin and a group of CTF instructors.  The purpose of this trip is to go and teach  Tae Kwon Do to the kids at this orphanage as well as providing food, clothing, and money to help fund the humanitarian efforts there.  I hope that you will join me in this endeavor by helping to find sponsors and also to participate in the Kick-a-Thon that we will be doing in December.  I will give you the details about the Kick-a-Thon within the next week.  To learn more about the orphanage and the ministry that runs the orphanage,  click on the YouTube video below. Thank you!

Brian Twitty

What Truly Matters is How You Finish!

A Letter To Parents About Martial Arts Training