Academic Taekwondo News January 2003
May it become your best year ever.
Looking back at 2002, we can be proud of all the great things we accomplished in the field of Taekwondo.
As a New Year begins, it is a perfect time to renew our goals, and to map out where we stand on our Taekwondo path. On the quest to be our best, we strive to train with Black Belt Excellence!
Academic Taekwondo News January 2003
Congratulations to all 50 students who promoted in December 2002.
Black Belt Excellence
Black Belt Excellence has little to do with being a Black Belt. More appropriately, it describes the attitudes that Taekwondo training develops. The benefits of these attitudes carry over into every aspect of our daily lives. Enclosed are the five basic traits of Black Belt excellence.
How do you stack up?
1. Happy but not satisfied.
There is an old Zen proverb that says “before enlightenment chop wood and carry water – after enlightenment chop wood and carry water”. Interpreted it could mean to have a goal and constantly striving to achieve it. Once achieved, do not forget the goal; instead, continue to live it.
2. Compare yourself –Not with others – but with your own potential.
Comparison of self to others makes one feel either incompetent or overconfident. Not every Black Belt (or student) is equal in skill. In fact, all students are dissimilar in skill level. Although there is a certain level of skill required to progress to a new
rank (belt), everyone has different strengths and weaknesses.
Comparing yourself to your own potential helps you set realistic goals. It is the only comparison that generates reliable feedback.
We know many Taekwondo students who are happy with their progress and improvement. We have yet to meet a Taekwondo Master who is satisfied with his/her present level. You see, with the awareness of improvements come not only a sense of fulfillment, but also an awareness of other areas to be improved.
3. Keeping emotions in balance.
During training the Taekwondo student experiences many emotions on the path toward Black Belt. Learning to recognize our emotions and face our fears is only one portion of Taekwondo training. Emotions are our allies if they are channeled in constructive ways. They are the driving force in the accomplishment of all worthy tasks.
4. Developing self-discipline.
A disciplined person is a person who knows what to do and then does it. Someone without self-discipline knows what he or she should do, but is not able to carry out the task.
Discipline, like a muscle, is developed with use. In Taekwondo training, the student is encouraged to work through difficult movements. As the students gradually progress through belt ranks, they become self-motivated, maintaining their focus and concentration.
5. When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.
The philosophies taught in Taekwondo encourage students to look for the good in every situation, and then make the most of it. Instead of saying, “Why is this happening to me?” they say, “What is good about this, and how can it benefit me?” With this attitude everything becomes a learning experience, and we are able to cope with the day-to-day challenges that life rewards us.
If you feel you demonstrate these 5 traits, congratulations!
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