As we parents prepare for back to school and for what might be an interesting (and dare I say it "challenging") future, it's more important than ever that we empower ourselve and our children with the mindset that they WILL need as we move into our new tomorrows.
Commitment to lifelong learning will be the key to unlocking the future, today. It’s not warm and fuzzy. Lifelong learning, techological savy and progressive thinking partnered with a balanced, healthy lifestyle AND the right mindset will be --in this education activist's humble opinion-- the great separator. If you don't have the right mindset and stop learning, you will become unemployed and unemployable very quickly.
What does this have to do with martial arts? Well, I'm glad you asked...
As yours truly works to meet the everyday challenges of life in our new world, I am constantly drawing on my discipline and my master's mindset.
As a Martial Artist and an education activist, I continue to work on ways to strengthen and develop myself, making sure that I am in the best shape I can be - mentally, physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. In the past few years I have placed a special emphasis on refining and embracing a set of mental exercises that will help me and my students practice and benefit from the power of proper focus. What has evolved is a series of nine affirmations designed to improve the way we view our life. These affirmations are called,
"The Mastery Mindset”.
Let’s begin by discussing the first Mastery Mindset affirmation. It is “I Can. I Will.”
“I Can. I Will.” refers to your Attitude, your Belief and your Commitment. It is an affirmation that you WILL get through any challenge that you are currently facing. It is about being stubborn in a positive way. Allow me to illustrate this mindset with a story.
Last Christmas, I decided to purchase the cedar chest my wife has been asking for for over 10 years. I one that that happened to be the exact one my wife wanted. It was on sale, so I bought it on the spot. When I brought my receipt to the warehouse for pick up the clerk asked me what kind of vehicle I was driving. It hadn’t occurred to me until that moment that I had driven my Toyota Carolla that day. Upon telling the clerk this, he said that there was “no way” I would be able to get my cedar chest home in "that" car. Normally, I would have agreed, but something in his voice caused me to take this as a challenge and I knew that somehow, some way, I would get the treadmill home in my Toyota – no doubt about it.
So, with all the seats moved forward and the cedar chest out of it's carton, I squeezed and maneuvered that bad boy in my back seat. With my face nearly pressed against my steering wheel I drove out of the parking lot. I couldn't see out of my rear view mirror and I was barely able to move my legs for the gas and brake pedal, since the big box was jammed up against the back of my seat which was pushing me forward... but I made it home. I still remember stopping at red lights and seeing other drivers shaking their heads, obviously thinking, “What is that guy doing?”.
Now I’m not claiming it was a very bright thing to do and I would probably try to discourage friends from attempting similar endeavors today. But I think it illustrates perfectly the concept of “I Can. I Will.”
Every one of us at some time in our life, has shown the ability to be stubborn, to refuse to take “No” for an answer. To be fully committed to the completion of a task.
As for me, being stubborn comes naturally; the concept of “I Can. I Will.” is part of the way I’m wired. What I’m working on is using it in the right way for the right reasons. Instead of insisting on carting home a cedar chest in a pocket size car, can I insist on teaching the very best class possible? Can I refuse to lower my standards regarding my diet and exercise habits? Can I be absolutely committed to taking care of my team, my family and my community? I don’t always get it right, but I like to think that I’m mindfully trying.
What about you? What are you stubborn about? What are you fully committed to? I challenge you to take some time to figure it out. I’m sure that in some ways you are just as stubborn as I am. Are you channeling this attribute in the right direction or wasting it on trivialities? I challenge you to adopt the first Mastery Mindset – “I Can. I Will.” – and apply it to the things that matter most in your life.
To see the other 8 Mastery Mindset affirmations, visit the Mount Laurel Martial Artist's Dream 100 resource site HERE.
This blog is part of Peter Liciaga's effort to promote the Ultimate Black Belt Test Program ( http://www.ultimateblackbelttest.com), which is an undertaking of The 100. (http://www.the100.us/), and a part of Peter Liciaga's Dream 100 Project.
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