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Have you ever felt like you’re on the edge of a breakthrough, but something stops you from taking that leap? This invisible force, often called the “Terror Barrier,” keeps many of us from stepping out of our comfort zones and achieving peak performance. But here’s the thing—success strategies can help you break through this barrier.

Confronting Fear and the Terror Barrier

Fear is the mind’s natural response to stepping into unknown territory. Whether you’re a professional, teacher, instructor, coach, or martial arts school owner, understanding the nature of your fears is the first step in overcoming them. Let’s break down some common fears:

• Fear of Failure: The thought of failing can be paralyzing. However, failing is often the stepping stone to ultimate success.

• Fear of the Unknown: Not knowing what lies ahead can trigger anxiety, but this is where growth happens.

• Fear of Embarrassment: Worries about what others think can hold you back. Remember, everyone has faced embarrassment at some point.

• Fear of Loss: The potential loss of time, effort, or resources can deter action. Yet, every loss can also be a learning opportunity.

• Fear of Rejection: The fear of not being accepted is a deep-rooted concern. Understanding that rejection is a part of life can help you move forward.

The Law of Relativity

The Law of Relativity states that everything only has the meaning we assign. Your perception is your reality. If you perceive a challenge as intimidating, it will be. But if you see it as an opportunity, new pathways open up.

Desensitization – Do The Very Thing That Scares You

One effective technique for overcoming fear is desensitization. By repeatedly facing the thing that scares you, you diminish its power. This is known as “failing forward.” Every attempt, successful or not, moves you closer to your goal.

Repetition is the Mother of Learning

Practice makes perfect and lessens the fear associated with the unfamiliar. By repeating actions, you move towards mastery and ease.

Rinse and Repeat Until You Are Comfortable

The key to overcoming the Terror Barrier is persistence. Keep doing what once scared you until it becomes second nature. Start where you are and set small, manageable goals. The process is similar to adjusting your thermostat at home. It is often referred to as your self-identity set point. You become accustomed to increasing or lowering the temperature as needed over time. Once you acclimate to the new temperature, it becomes the new norm or comfort zone.

The Law of Incremental Improvement

Progress is made through incremental improvements. “By the inch, it’s a cinch; by the yard, it’s mighty hard.” Set clear goals and take deliberate actions. If progress stalls, reassess your goals and motivations. Are they clearly defined? Are you acting for the right reasons?

Conclusion

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Do the thing, and you will have the power.” Stepping out of your comfort zone takes courage and determination, but breaking through the Terror Barrier is possible with the right mindset and strategies. Whether striving for personal growth or professional excellence, remember that every small step counts towards the bigger picture. It’s time to confront your fears, redefine your perceptions, and take consistent action toward success.

It’s been said many times that attitude determines your altitude in life. To be the best Black Belt leader & champion you are capable of becoming, you must constantly condition your attitude and emotions to remain positive and optimistic. The effort and energy you give to this area will strengthen your performance, on and off the mat. 

A great Train-your-Brain reminder is to liken your daily outlook and attitude, to your physical fitness, conditioning and flexibility. The effort and energy you give, determines what you get. You need to condition yourself daily, or you may find yourself slipping backwards. If you don’t actively fill your mind with positives thoughts and ideas, it is easy to become negative. Why is that? Watch the news, listen to the radio, most of the TV and movies we all watch are filled with negatives and very few positives. If you absorb negative content, it’s easy to become negative. Before you know it, you develop a negative attitude and your mind becomes filled with negatives: fear, doubt, worry, envy, anger and many other negative thoughts and feelings about yourself and others. 

How successful do you think you will become in anything, if you’re loaded with all those negatives? Not very! A positive attitude and mindset creates an energy force that inspires and motivates people to take positive actions and creates positive results. It helps to create an uplifting emotion that will enhance your learning and promotes a positive, progressive energy for life.

Stinkin’ Thinkin’ and ”Hardening of the Attitudes” are dangerous diseases that can kill desire and dampen enthusiasm. If left untreated, they will lead to a downward spiral in your life and can do great damage to your health, wealth and happiness. It can have huge impact on your relationships, ones that were once pretty good, can go down the tubes quickly. Positive thoughts lead to positive feelings and emotions, which leads you to take positive actions, which leads to positive results. If you want to see better results, it would do you good to give yourself a Check-up from the Neck up.

Decide today that you are going to be a positive person that is making a positive difference in peoples lives. Read and study positive and inspirational material everyday, hang around positive people and talk about positive things. Soon your entire life will be moving in a much more positive direction. It’s a lot of fun and you’ll be a lot more fun to be around. No matter how positive you already are, I’m sure you would agree that your optimism is frequently put to the test.

Let’s team up and spread the good stuff to all the people that we can influence!

Have you ever lost control of your emotions and done something, said something or acted in a way you later regretted? The answer for almost everyone would be “Yes!” Anger brings out a very negative and ugly side of just about everyone. Most people agree that positive emotions and attitudes are far more productive than negative emotions.  

Anger is your enemy because it can cause serious damage. It can cause serious damage to your relationships, to your own health and well-being, to your overall happiness and joy in life. It can also do serious damage to your professional image and appearance because it is ugly! You must not allow this dangerous negative emotion to take control. Avoidance, prevention and preparation are always the best defense against any powerful and dangerous enemy. Whenever possible, avoid the people, situations and things that make you angry and negative. You can minimize or eliminate almost any negative emotion from your life, by laughing more, keeping a good sense of humor and focusing on your positive emotions. Smile more, laugh more, keep yourself healthy and be physically active everyday. Focus on happy thoughts, listen to great music, think about all the things that make you feel good and bring joy to your life.

Magnify the positive, shrink the negative! Learn to spot your emotional patterns, positive and negative. Train yourself to focus on your positive emotions and try to magnify them. The ultimate level of emotional mastery is when you choose in advance the emotions that best serve you and others, no matter what obstacles you encounter. Anger is your enemy!

As the year draws to an end, it is a good time to reflect on all of our accomplishments and personal victories. We have had many this year and it is in no small part due to all our collective efforts:

• We held our 1^st in person Black Belt Retreat and Regional Championships since 2019.
• We welcomed 16 new students
• We promoted 1 Sam-Dan, 2 Cho-Dans & 4 E-Dans
• We graduated 4 instructors from the Instructors Certification Training (CIT) program

I am very grateful for everybody’s contribution and support as we continue to build Cambridge Tang Soo Do.