It’s not expensive, it’s unexpected.
Let’s talk about softball, first. My parents enrolled me in rec softball for years, and I loved it! It afforded me the opportunity to stay in shape for my age, make friends, and just have fun doing something other than playing games on my phone. But here’s what it didn’t do…
Softball didn’t teach me to set goals, understand what it means to give 100%, learn how to communicate more effectively, understand how to respect not only myself but others, be patient, be grateful, have grit and a non-quitting attitude, or know how to be a leader when it’s so easy to be a follower.
I did not excel in college, in fact it was quite the opposite; I struggled, hard. I surrounded myself with the partying crowd, the people who didn’t have a 5 or 10 year plan for their lives. I wasted thousands and thousands of my parents’ hard-earned dollars. Essentially, wasting the time it took them to earn that money.
When I came home I enrolled into Martial Arts and immediately saw how different it was from softball. My ‘sensei’ was not a coach who came in, taught me some moves, and left. He worked with me to turn me into a better version of myself. The techniques and drills were simply his medium to teach me about life.
Before Martial Arts, I was happy with being average. I was fine with seeing others succeed. I was okay with my excuses. And I was content being unhealthy (physically and mentally).
It’s so easy to blame others for your own shortcomings… Martial Arts showed me I am responsible for my success just like I only have myself to blame for what I do not have. And I definitely feel I am successful now. Martial Arts made me go from failing college to having my name known in the community as being a great instructor and role model for others.
So, I’ll end this with a question for anyone who is interested…
How much is you/yours child’s future success worth to you?
