Whenever someone first signs up for Tae Kwon-Do, I tell them the same thing: There will be at least four times in your training that you will face an obstacle and want to quit.
My way of teaching is to make things pleasant and exciting to learn. But, as soon as you’re getting good, I’m going to put an obstacle there that’s going to make it hard to get past. That will be a moment when you’re going to want to quit. Some students do, and we never hear from them again. But those that don’t quit, continue on and become extremely strong.
An obstacle is the thing you see when you take your eye off of the goal.
Say that you have to run and jump over three people to break a board. If you’re focused on the people you have to jump over, you’ll probably end up running into them. However, if you shift your focus to the board itself, you’ll make it over your obstacle and break the board, more often than not.
Obstacles are something we should welcome, not fear.
They are the way that we become stronger, sharper, and smarter. When you’re able to look at it from that perspective, obstacles stop being obstacles, and they become opportunities.
Bruce Lee famously suggested that we should all “be like water.” Water that is pushing against a rock will never move the rock. But, over time, the water will wear the rock down until it eventually goes through it.
It’s the same with life. You might not be able to move that obstacle today, tomorrow, or even the next day. But, if you remain focused and persistent… that obstacle is as good as gone. It’s just a matter of time.
The sense of achievement, accomplishment, and relief you feel when you overcome an obstacle is a really good feeling. And, the more good feelings we have in life, the better.
So, when that time comes in your training that you want to quit, remember: that obstacle was put there on purpose, and trust that I have given you everything you need to overcome it.
Never quit. Ever.
Master Gorino’s Tae Kwon-Do offers a trial program for individuals and families in Buffalo, NY and the surrounding areas that allows you to get a feel for the different classes, meet our instructors, and experience our dojang. It’s a great way to see if Tae Kwon-Do is right for you. To learn more or to sign up, register online or call (716) 836-KICK (5425) and a member of our team will follow up with you on next steps. We look forward to helping you achieve your goals. Pil-Sung!
