February 16th, 2016
Hang around any successful achiever and you will soon realize why they are so successful. They always strive to get better. Study the best in sports or athletic competition, study the best in business, art, leadership, or any endeavor: you’ll quickly see that they are always striving to get better. The best must always get better. Anyone that has made it to the top of their field, is likely to be highly ambitious and driven for success and achievement. You will also note that they are focused on others success as much as they are focused on their own success. They are not likely to be satisfied with being second best or accepting mediocrity in their life. They also are very focused on helping others to improve and get the best out of themselves. This philosophy is not about ego but rather about what the Japanese call “Kaizen”. In the West this is often referred to as “can’t” or constant and never ending improvement.
One of your goals should be to get better every day. Whether it is your martial arts training, your school’s progress, or your relationships, it is always best to live by the principle that the, “biggest room in the world, is the room for improvement.” As the saying goes, “Goals we set are goals we get”. Take action everyday to make yourself smarter, stronger, and more effective. Work on improving your overall health & fitness and you will simultaneously improve all the relationships in your life. If you want to be the best, and I am assuming you do, strive to improve yourself everyday in every way. Every class, become and better student of the Martial Arts. Every day become a better student of life. As I have said many times before, you must first be a great student and or follower before you can be a great leader. Use peak performance prompts to remind yourself of your goal.
One of the ways to accomplish this is to follow the 8 Paths to Enlightenment. This is sometimes also referred to as the 8 Paths of Success. That is,
- The Right Understanding
- The Right Thoughts
- The Right Words
- The Right Actions
- The Right Livelihood
- The Right Effort
- The Right Mindfulness
- The Right Concentration
Black Belt Leaders and Champions follow the above philosophy and strategy to improve everything they do.