At our dojo, our mission is to grow our students in three areas: Character, Martial Arts Skill and Leadership.
If you are open and paying attention, the Martial Arts experience can be a great way to develop “Character”. The upcoming grappling tournament provides an opportunity to share some “Character” building thoughts:
If fear stops you from participating in a tournament you have already lost. You have beaten you.
This teaches you NOTHING and IS DANGEROUS.
In your mind a reputation of yourself is formed. Negative thought habits about yourself are formed and they grow… The reputation you have of yourself lives on in how you think. These thought habits repeat and your expectations for yourself shrink.
Better to compete and lose.
The outcome is the same… EXCEPT you stretched and grew. You learned, gained valuable experience and developed courage. You built Character and begin thinking of yourself as one with a reputation of OVERCOMING FEAR.