'Courage' is facing a challenge even when you know you may not succeed!
Learning martial arts and learning courage are synonymous. Students who stand before the class leading in a form show courage, and so do students who answer in class. Martial artists are called to be courageous in some way every day.
Another type of courage is taking risks. Learning to take conscious, calculated risks is part of our school curriculum. We believe taking risks is the path to true learning and success. Successful athletes know that
risk-taking and learning from losses, setbacks, and mistakes are the only way to significantly improve sports performance. Babe Ruth was the champion home run hitter, but he struck out 1,333 times during his best season. Nothing is gained without risk, and even a risk with less than successful results can be a powerful learning activity.
Some of the things we tell students are:
* Sensible risks are a natural way of life for martial artists.
* We are willing to risk temporary loss for the chance for permanent improvement.
*The most accomplished martial artists are courageous and risk-taking.
You might want to think about a time you took a risk in business or life that worked out positively. Hearing successful people tell about their risk-taking can be very encouraging experiences for people who are lea rning to take calculated risks. Discussing your initial fear prior to taking the risk will be a fascinating and affirming admission for newly emerging risk-takers. So often students tell us they have difficulty getting beyond their fears. When you tell them that your biggest fears never came to pass, you will be teaching them that most fears are irrational fantasies that do not materialize.
And finally when you tell them how you felt after taking the risk, and how taking this risk affected your life then and now, they will see themselves as emerging risk-takers who are following in well trodden footsteps.
As Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, more than 50 years ago, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”
