Why not make excellence your habit?
Imagine leading a life that is truly filled with excellence. It’s been said mediocrity is the enemy of excellence. Simply meaning either one can become powerful habitual pattern of your life. The moment you begin to accept mediocrity in yourself or others you influence, that will become the habit. If you demand excellence in attitude, performance and results, from yourself and others, that is what you will get and experience as well. Whichever you choose, will become your habit. Why? Because anything that is done repeatedly, over and over again, become habit.
Visualize a life of excellent, health, wealth and happiness. Excellent health would give you greater energy to train and do the things you want to do each day and allow you to accomplish more each and every year, looking and feeling fit, toned and flexible, with energy to burn. Excellence in wealth would free you from financial worry and concern, allowing you more choices and opportunities for learning, growing, achieving and having more fun in life. Excellence in happiness would mean that you are happy with what you are doing, where you are going, and the relationships and people you are surrounded by every day. You’d have excellent friends, co-workers and a happy family life as well. You’d be smiling, singing, whistling, humming and/or laughing every day.
This is what happens when you develop habits of excellence in your life. Start today by committing yourself to step up your game. Decide right now that you are going to do everything you do better. You can start by developing an attitude of excellence. Give excellent polite greetings and do excellent training and practice everything with a new desire to be excellent at all you do. Have an excellent smile and share it with as many people as you can. Strive for excellent results in everything you do. Go the extra mile to create a better outcome in every area of your life.
Habits we train…are habits we gain. Like any habit, we must first decide and then we must take action…massive action, with conviction, commitment and follow through. It takes time and repeated actions to anchor in any new habit.
Cambridge Tang Soo Do would like to congratulate 9 students for successfully completing the winter testing cycle. The new ranks are:
| Angelika Fretzen | 1st Dan |
| Daniel Maibor | Cho Dan Bo |
| Anthony Messina | 4th Gup |
| Kevin Palmer | 5th Gup |
| Mike Vemula | 6th Gup |
| Eric Tollefson | 6th Gup |
| James Kim | 7th Gup |
| Jeff Haggar | 8th Gup |
A warm welcome to the following students who have decided to start their journey in the Martial Arts at Cambridge Tang Soo Do:
| Finnigan Green |
| Kalyani Duva |
| John Bijoy Haukwitz |
| Ella Taibi |
| Theo Lainoff |
Our belief is that martial arts helps people develop better habits for life. The positive habits students develop in the dojang always has a direct influence on life outside the dojang. Today’s message focuses on five simple habits that can help any student achieve greatness in their Martial Arts training:
- Attendance/Commitment: Consistent class attendance and the commitment to practice and improve your skills and abilities. When a student gets in the habit of 2-3 classes per week plus at home practice, you’ll soon begin to see steady progress and growth in your journey to Black Belt Excellence. In life, you don’t get very far with a half hearted effort. Big goals are achieved through committed effort and persistence to achieve greatness.
- Spirit & Energy: When you develop the habit of expressing your eagerness and giving your best energy and effort, you’ll soon develop a powerful Black Belt Spirit. Soon you will learn that the more energy you give, the more energy you have to give. The non-quitting spirit you develop will carry over to all other areas of your life.
- Basics & Knowledge: Strong basics and fundamental skills are vital to developing confidence in your skills and abilities as a Black Belt Leader & Champion. No matter what style of Martial Arts I have studied and learned, it’s always about starting with a strong foundation.The habit of paying attention to detail can have a powerful impact everywhere.
- Fitness – Fitness – Fitness: Healthy and fit people have healthy and fit habits. A balanced fitness program should encompass three keys: flexibility, strength and endurance. Martial arts training is a very well rounded form of fitness and it has so many examples of living, breathing models of excellence to follow. A high level of health and fitness, gives you more energy for everything you do.
- Martial Arts Manners & Dojang Protocol: Polite greetings, positive responses and courteous behavior, are habits everyone enjoys and benefits. No matter where I go or how many people I meet, the nicest and most respectful are always martial arts trained. The world would be a much better place if everyone practiced and expressed respect for each other, the way we do in the dojang. The best way to influence is by your example. Be a model of excellence in respect and perseverance.
Habits we Train…are Habits we Gain!
14 students from Cambridge Tang Soo Do attended the Atlantic-Pacific Tang Soo Do Federation’s New England Regional Championships which was held on Saturday October 11, 2008 in Meriden, CT. Our latest champions are:
| Mr. Duva | 1st place in Forms |
| Dr. Meetze | 2nd place in Weapons, 2nd place in Forms, 3rd place in Sparring, 3rd place in Breaking |
| Mr. Khodko | 3rd place in Weapons, 3rd place in Forms, 3rd place in Sparring, 1st place in Breaking |
| Angelika Fretzen | 3rd place in Weapons, 3rd place in Forms, 2nd place in Sparring |
| Richard Heppner | 1st place in Forms, 1st place in Sparing, 1st place in Breaking |
| Daniel Maibor | 1st place in Weapons, 1st place in Forms, 1st place in Sparring, 2nd place in Breaking |
| Tony Messina | 3rd place in Forms, 1st place in Sparring, 3rd place in Breaking |
| Kevin Palmer | 2nd place in Forms, 3rd place in Sparring |
| James Kim | 2nd place in Forms, 2nd place in Sparring |
| Luke Schlatter | 2nd place in Forms, 3rd place in Sparring |
Congratulations to all of you!
Tang Soo!