Posts Tagged ‘Coming Home’
A Winner Never Quits
A Winner Never Quits
Taekwondo is a scientific discipline and a stunningly aesthetic Art as well. There is nothing magical or mystical about the seemingly super-human feats a Master of Taekwondo can perform. I can assure you that there are no secrets that Taekwondo Black Belts share. The only secret is desire, dedication, discipline, and a whole lot of hard, hard work. And that’s ALL that it takes, period.
Taekwondo training is rewarding and life-changing, but also extremely challenging. At times it’s simply not easy. To be proficient in Taekwondo, you must go to class to learn the proper execution of techniques and skills AND you must do your “Homework” too! Consistent training both in and out of class is a must. And the higher level one achieves, the higher the level of training that is required!
Yes, it takes sacrifice and hard work to master anything that’s of value. I would go as far as to say that hard work and sacrifice are one in the same, in that you can’t have one without the other. The reality is that this is why so many people who begin taekwondo training, excited to learn the skills of the Art, discontinue their training after only a few short months or years. After the newness of taekwondo training has worn off, and the student gets a taste of the repetitive drill-work that’s required, they simply tire of the hard work that’s needed to realize their goal.
So what happens? Choices are made and priorities are shifted to something else that requires much less effort. Commitment gives way to laziness. Students find themselves constantly making choices between practicing or doing something else. Choices are made like going to Taekwondo practice or playing a new video game, or playing with your favorite friends, or coming home to a comfortable, cozy couch and your favorite beverage and watching T.V. And on and on it goes, until taekwondo training is just a distant thought in the back of one’s mind. Something they tried, but it wasn’t for them.
Another reason students hang up their belts is failure. But failure is a necessary and important aspect of Taekwondo. I don’t know anyone who has NOT failed at least one Taekwondo exam. Unfortunately, many people who fail an exam blame something or someone other than the true culprit…themselves! Truth be known, the only one responsible for failing any test, is one’s own self. Sometimes it’s from being ill-prepared, and sometimes it’s due to uncontrollable circumstances, such as injury. But one thing is for sure; the ones that don’t quit learn a valuable lesson of Taekwondo. That is, failure eventually leads to success. And sweet success it is. It is a lesson that will guide you for the rest of your life!
In summary, hard work, failure, and sacrifice lead many to quit training in Taekwondo. But these are actually blessings in disguise for the ones who carry on. Setbacks in training, failure in promotion, and learning how to work hard at something are a normal part of everyday life that one needs to not only understand, but also how to defeat. Those students who overcome the setbacks and hardships experienced through Taekwondo training benefit from the hard, but necessary, life-lessons they conquered in training for the rest of their lives! They understand that “Winners Never Quit”!