Congratulations to those who have earned promotions since our last newsletter. Morgan Bell – Junior Green Belt #1
Wanting to Win by Zig Ziglar
(excerpted from his new book, Born to Win! Find Your Success Code)
I’ve always said that man was designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness. I believe that almost as much as I believe in God. What I mean when I make that statement is that man has the opportunity to achieve greatness and is hard-wired to make it happen. Every person has unique gifts, and those gifts give him or her the power and the opportunity to accomplish great things, if he or she learns how to use those gifts and channel them in the right direction. Now you might say, “Zig, if that’s true, why doesn’t everyone achieve greatness?” Actually, that answer is easy. Everybody doesn’t want to be great, and many people who want to be great aren’t willing to do the work to make it possible!
The great coach of the Green Bay Packers, Vince Lombardi, wisely stated, “Winning isn’t everything but wanting to win is.” The simple truth is that you have to want to do something badly enough before you have the slightest chance of doing it! If you don’t want it badly enough, I absolutely guarantee that you will not be willing to do the planning and preparing it takes to get it.
Psychologists will tell you in a New York minute (which, for your information, is thirty-two seconds) that you invariably and inevitably move toward the strongest impression in your mind. The impressions that are most vivid in your mind are the things you want to do. That’s why desire is so powerful and plays a big role in planning. If you really want to do something, it means that it’s something you are going to think about most of the time. When you constantly think about something, you talk about it all the time and you get lots of new ideas about how to make it happen. When you have lots of ideas about something, it makes planning easier and more enjoyable. Desire also makes you willing to become accountable for your plan, and that makes you more willing to create the plan you need to win.
In my first book, See You at the Top, I said, “Desire is the ingredient that changes the hot water of mediocrity to the steam of outstanding success.” What this means is that desire is the catalyst that enables a person with average ability to compete and win against others with more natural talent. You see, my friend, being a winner is much different from having the potential to win. Everyone has the potential; it’s what you do with that potential that really matters. Nothing is more inspiring than a person with seemingly mediocre talent rising against the odds to become a champion by way of hard work, effort, and perseverance toward their goals. Obviously, raw talent is important, but the difference-maker between first and the rest of the pack is usually desire.
I’ve spent my life studying, thinking, teaching, living, and sharing motivation. I’ve learned why some people do better than others. As a matter of fact, I’ve now written thirty books on the subject that have been translated into forty different languages and dialects, and I’ve spoken to thousands of audiences in front of millions of people. The Ziglar team has created more than fifty audio programs and hundreds of customized audio presentations through the years. I’m grateful that I have been able to see so many lives transformed through these various methods of communication. My core philosophy on winning and motivation is summed up by saying that you were born to win, but in order to be the winner you were born to be, you have to plan to win and prepare to win before you can expect to win. The playing field of life is not level, and for you to compete in the game of life, you need an equalizer of some kind. In the old West, the equalizer was the six-shooter. It enabled a little guy to chop a bigger man down to size.
Desire is also an equalizer—and nowadays is highly encouraged over a six-shooter! Desire creates an edge. Desire produces the energy to get out of bed when you don’t feel like it. Desire gives you the power to run the last one hundred yards of a marathon when you think even one more step is impossible! Desire gives you the will to do the tough things your competition may not be willing to do. Desire is the mother of motivation, because it is where motivation is born. Desire will pull you across the finish line and give you victory!
Balance In The Martial Arts & Life
Balance happens from experience in life and what you have gained from it, positive or negative. Whatever happened in my life experience, I try to make a positive experience out of any situation; that is how you better yourself in life. As the saying goes, the older you get, the wiser.
C. Holubecki
A determining factor that limits our potential and keeps us from being all we can be is the opinions of other people. It is sad to say but there are many negative people in this world who are not successful, and they would prefer that nobody else be successful, either.
Has there ever been a time when a dream was shared with one or more people and they were not supportive? After hearing about the dream they all began to say why it was impossible and list all the reasons and obstacles seemed overwhelming.
Sadly, there are friends and families that behave this way toward their own flesh and blood. Parents, brothers, and sisters tell their children and siblings about the things they don’t believe they can do. Sometimes it seems the only advice and support these people can offer guarantees failure. They might as well be saying, “You’re not good enough to do what you think you want to do. Who do you think you are, dreaming that kind of dream?” If you have people like this in your life, my advice is to keep your goals to yourself when you are around them. Do not become susceptible to negative influences of others.
Our Isshin-ryu Karate training begins to give young students and adults the ability to achieve positive successes in a supportive and nurturing atmosphere. Foundation skills become memorized forms, which may be used for self-defense and controlled fighting skills. If needed these skills may also be used to protect us from aggressive people who wish to harm us. Developing the strength of character to do what is right, which is not promoted by much of our society where people look for a quick way to get things done, is another factor that our instructors emphasize. Students learn to be accountable for their actions because abilities in kata, self-defense and kumite must be learned and demonstrated prior to earning advancement. Promotions are not given because of time but because of abilities demonstrated.
Developing the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual qualities and life skills are the emphasis of our traditional training. Becoming a positive force in school and community speak more toward our and one’s family goals. Challenges and stresses mastered in the dojo aid each individual in the world outside the dojo. The self-discipline fostered also helps each person better able to succeed in school and work.
Competitions are not the main focus of our training, but seeing how the skills learned compare to other martial arts styles demonstrates the quality of instruction at our dojo. At these events students meet and make friends that may last a lifetime.
Place winners at the February Golden Rule Tournament – Ashley Banks – 2nd Kata, Aidan McCoy – 1st Kata, Mac Jackson – 2nd Kata & 1st Kumite, Jake Brader – 1st Kata, Taryn Faccenda – 2nd Kata & 4th Kumite, Nic Curcio – 2nd Kata & 4th Kumite, Smyan Chinnam – 2nd Kata & 4th Kumite, Alexis D’Ambly – 4th Kata, Jeff Brown – 1st Kata & 4th Kumite, Cassandra Brown – 4th Kata, 4th Kumite & 2nd Kobudo, Joe Marotta – 3rd Kata & 3rd Kobudo
Remember:
Doug King’s Sparring Tournament – March 11th at Newton High School.
Our 27th Benefit Tournament – April 29th at Hackettstown High School. We will need help scoring (we train and it’s fun) and other help during the event.
Adult students and Parents: Please take a few of the dojo flyers that are by the front door and on the table by the display, place them in area stores to help promote our dojo and attract new students. THANKS
Kicking – Sensei Scott Miller, 6th Dan
To develop good strong kicks we must understand the steps needed in each kick. The most important element in developing good kicks is good stretching for the legs and hips. I add kicking drills and stretching drills in my workouts at home. Good kicks can’t be learned without making them a part of workouts at home. One common mistake students make is lifting the supporting leg’s heel off the ground when kicking, which causes poor balance. Students also rock back & forth and do not center their posture over their hips. Take time between kicks and make sure the stance is set over the supporting leg. Strong kicks begin with driving the knee. “Kick emphasizing the knee-and make contact with the foot”. Obviously, there is more involved with our kicks to be effective and this is just a start to improve understanding. Take time on your own and warm up with all your kicks. Practice kicks effectively at home. Can you explain how to do a good side blade kick? Are the kicks performed effective in your katas? Doing the kick is good but being able to explain the proper procedure is demonstrating deeper understanding.
