Do you Step Up or Back Down? Martial Artists develop an Indomitable Spirit!

So...Are you the type of person who steps up to a challenge, or do you back down?!

As a HapKiDo instructor I see tons of people on a daily basis who are faced with challenges of varying levels of significance, both on the mat as well as out in the "real" world.  These challenges range from struggles as simple as struggling to remember a technique in class to things serious such as losing a job or the death of a loved one.  It doesn't matter how serious the challenge is, it is important that we attack any challenge that stands between us and reaching our goals.  This is one of the countless reasons that I feel martial arts is so important, not just for kids but for adults as well.  HapKiDo Martial Arts teaches its students to have an indomitable spirit, meaning that nothing can hold us back. When an individual has an indomitable spirit they can achieve higher levels of success and reach their goals more easily because things that would stop most people are merely speed bumps to them.  

In HapKiDo class, from the very beginning, a student is regularly presented with challenges that they are asked to overcome.  They start out easily, maybe remembering a set of techniques or kicking above their head, but as they progress they are presented with much more difficult tasks such as staying disciplined in their training over many years to achieve mastery of the art.  The act of overcoming these struggles teaches the student that if they stay focused and try hard, they can move past the obstacles in order to get to their goal.  

This may seem ordinary, and like nothing special, but a good Martial Arts instructor works with the students until they see that they are able to overcome the obstacles that are presented to them.  This is a simple yet important realization to give the student the mentality of stepping up instead of backing down.  There are so many areas of life that allow people to just back down from a challenge instead of pushing through.  So many parents and coaches see someone struggling and they swoop in to help them out, but what does this teach them?  By doing this they learn that if something is hard they can just sit back and wait, and someone will do it for them.  Unfortunately, the world doesn't really work like that.  

Having the "Step Up" attitude can positively effect many areas of life.  It will allow HapKiDoist to get good marks in school, it will help you gain the favor of peers and supervisors at work, and will be the gift that takes your life to a level that you are proud of.  When you are not afraid to step up to a challenge you will find that you have the capability to accomplish way more than you thought possible, and will be able to achieve successes that are far out of reach for anyone who backs down in the face of adversity.  

So the question you have to ask yourself is this....

Do you want more for yourself or your loved ones?  Then it is imperative that you learn how to step up to life's challenges, and not back down when things get tough. I love HapKiDo Martial Arts because it teaches people to have the indomitable spirit like nothing else I have ever seen!  Take a look at your life and honestly see what is holding you back.  Is it something you could overcome with a disciplined effort? I bet it is!

RJ LoPresti

Choe's HapKiDo

www.RJLoPresti.com

Are you a problem solver or a problem finder?

Do you know the difference between a problem solver and a problem finder?

It is all about mindset; do you think like an entrepreneur or an employee?  In this day and age the way you think plays such a HUGE role in the outcomes you experience.  The way you think about and overcome life's problems will determine the level of success you are capable of achieving.  Life will always have problems, things will always try to stand in your way, but the most successful people do not let problems stop them.  With just a slight adjustment in the way you set your mind each day you can go from someone who is controlled by your environment to a person who is in control of your environment.  Below I will outline 2 different types of mindsets, that of a problem finder and that of a problem solver.  The difference between these two things may not seem to be very profound at first, but I hope to convey the great impact this can have on your level of success!

Problem Finder:

A problem finder is someone who always sees how things are not working.  They are great at seeing things that could go wrong or could potentially not work, and they focus on these problems they found.  Problem finders always have a reason why they could not complete a certain task or assignment, and unfortunately most of the time it is something that they feel is outside of their control.  Problem finders typically feel like things are others responsibility, and will often not take action on an assignment until there are no more possible "problems" to be found.  Problem finders are very linear thinkers.  They have a mission, but when something gets in the way they stop and focus on the problem instead of a solution or way around the issue.

Problem Solver:

A problem solver is someone who is solution oriented.  Many times they work backwards in the sense that they have a desired outcome, then find a way to get there.  A problem solver understands that there will be problems, and is prepared to find a solution to problems as the arise. Being a problem solver means taking responsibility for achieving a specific result, which includes accepting responsibility for all of the problems that come up while on the way. 

Which one are you?

The main difference between a problem solver and problem finder is that problem solvers take initiative to find solutions after a problem arises and complete tasks, where as problem finders come across a problem and stop there.  The problem finder mindset is typical in the employee position.  They are given a task, then when a problem comes up they stop and bring the problem to their supervisor.  "I found a problem and cannot complete the task." 

A problem finder mindset is found in people with an entrepreneurial spirit.  They are on a mission to accomplish a specific task, and any problem that comes up is just a speed bump that they move past.  "This is the problem I ran into, this is how I overcame the problem and the job is done!" 

So whenever you are working on something and come across a problem, find a solution and move forward! Do not let problems stop you.  You will not always be able to find a solution to every problem by yourself, and asking for help is always ok, but own your problems.  Take a personal responsibility for solving problems and you will be shocked how much more productive you will be as an individual and as part of a team.  Don't go to people with problems, go to them with solutions.  Whether you are a member of a team on a project, or the owner of a business, thinking like a problem solver instead of a problem finder will allow you to excel and achieve more.  If instead of focusing on the problem you focus on finding a solution to the problem, you will be shocked at how often the solution is something you can do simply.  Doing this you will advance in your personal and profession life, and can reach the highest level of success that you know you deserve!

R.J. LoPresti
Owner, Choe's HapKiDo Martial Arts
https://www.facebook.com/InstructorLoPresti

Why our kids need to be taught to be leaders and entrepreneurs

Hey everyone!  I would like to write a little bit about leadership, and the importance of teaching kids how to be leaders, thinkers, and entrepreneurs.  The world needs leaders, positive thinkers, and people who find a problem and instead of trying to live with it try to find a solution.  It is an unfortunate truth that so many of today's youth are not leaders; they hope to float along with the current, and when things get difficult they give up.  With that being said, I want to talk about how important it is to educate our kids that this is not the way it has to be!  Especially in the world we live in now where we can share an idea with people across the world with the click of a button!  Unfortunately kids are not being educated on how to be a leader.  We desperately NEED leaders, we need to educate an generation of problem solvers, and I want to write some words to explain why.

So, what is a leader?  Leaders come in infinite different forms, with just as many different skills and abilities.  But there are a few things that, when taught, will allow different people with different skills to become leaders, and for the sake of the future we must find a way for kids to be taught this.  I could spend hours writing about what I think makes a leader, but that is not what I am hoping to express in this post.  My wish is that by the time you finish reading this you will be inspired to become a leader, and teach others to also be leaders, and by doing this we can create a cycle of leadership development that will grow exponentially.

I believe that a few of the key things we should strive to be teaching our youth in order for them to be the exceptional leaders we need are how to be compassionate, how to have an entrepreneurial mindset, and also how to be a good follower.  I think that if people learn these things then they will take the skills they naturally have and apply them to being a leader and work on changing the world for the better. 

The first point I'd like to discuss, which is especially important when first learning how to be a leader, is being a good follower.  Leading is not about just sitting back and telling people what to do or what needs to get done, it is about lifting people up and guiding them.  Leaders get in the trenches and work with the people who they are leading, and they are an active part of what is being done.  When you are a good follower this can be done easily, if you are not able to be a follower it is difficult to do this.  Another important thing to consider is that a leader knows that they may not be the best person to lead in every situation.  Knowing how to be a follower will allow the leader to be able to work with the people they are guiding, as well as allow them to let others take the lead when the time is right.  With this they will be able to seamlessly transition between many different roles in order to be as efficient and effective as possible.

I see many people, both leaders and not, who do not know how to be a follower.  It can be clearly seen with people on sports teams, or in the workplace.  Someone who may be exceptionally skilled in their field, but they are not coachable; they don't know how to follow!  This causes many problems, because no matter how skilled the individual is, life is a team sport.  Michael Jordan said "Talent wins games; but teamwork and intelligence wins championships." I think that this means that we have to be able to work together, which often times means being a follower.  Like it or not we are all in this together, so we need to be able to be both a follower and a leader so that all of the more than 7 billion people on earth can be a cohesive team.  So to develop into the best leader possible, learn how to be a follower first, that way when the time comes that you are called up to lead you are ready!

Having the entrepreneurial mindset is the second point that I think makes the exceptional type of leader that we are looking for.  There have been many book written, videos made, and seminars taught on having an entrepreneur mindset, there is tons of information out there on how to teach people the skills that make a successful entrepreneur, but unfortunately only a small percentage of people take advantage of this materials and utilize these invaluable skills!  I think a big misconception about having the entrepreneurial mindset is that many people think that this means that they quit their stable job, start a business and work crazy hours getting their business to flourish.  Although a lot of people who have the entrepreneurial mindset do this, it is not necessary to having the mindset.  Having the mindset of an entrepreneur means that when there is a problem, or when you see something in life that you know could be better, you don't just accept it.  An entrepreneur will take this problem and find a solution; they go outside of the norms, think outside of the box and find a solution.  They have a work ethic unmatched by people who have the mindset of the "old way" and don't quit.  Failure is a learning experience, a bump in the road not a dead end.  Why are they like this?  Because they have a magical trait called PASSION!  They want things to be better, they know they can be better, and they wont stop until they are the best they can be.  It is so important for our leaders to have this mindset engrained deep in their being.  Leadership without the entrepreneur mindset often just turns dreaming; wishing for something without the follow through to back it up. 

Another invaluable trait that we need to foster in our future leaders is compassion towards others.  This is something that is too often not taught when teaching people to succeed, we stress the importance of excelling at any cost and too often what happens is we do not cultivate compassion for our fellow beings.  It is my opinion that without having compassion any level of leadership is empty, because leadership that isn't driven by the objective of improving the greater good is a waste of time.  In order to develop the type of leaders we need for there to be a bright future ahead, compassion needs to be right up there with the other leadership traits that we instill in them.  Compassion means the desire to alleviate others' suffering.  Wouldn't you agree that with a generation of leaders who wish to help those in need we could make huge strides in the advancement of mankind?  I strongly feel that compassion should be at the core of any teaching, especially those taught to kids, but it is especially critical for leaders to learn compassion because they are going to be the ones who guide us to our future.  Leadership, like any skill, can be used in negative ways just as easily as it can be used positivity, and because of this it is necessary to educate leaders on the importance of compassion to guide their leadership skill in a positive direction.

Leadership of the future requires people who know how to be a good follower, who utilize an entrepreneurial mindset and are driven by compassion.  Schools don't teach these skills in common core curriculum, but I feel that we must be teaching these traits to our youth.  We have to start making leadership education an integrated part of our youth's upbringing, and the sooner people are taught these skills the better.  Kids are amazing with their ability to learn these traits; they come naturally to kids, and it is absolutely amazing what young leaders are able to do with proper leadership training.  It is one of the most inspirational and motivational experiences when I see kids who use leadership this way.  The difference they make is astounding.

I am a martial artist, and I feel that martial arts is a great way to instill all of these qualities in our young people.  In martial arts the students are trained and required to be good followers first.  They must excel in the art of following and being guided, while at the same time they are expected to lead their junior ranks along the martial path.  Martial arts also instills in its practitioners the entrepreneurial mindset, the ability to think quickly and make decisions in a split second.  Learning to have a fighters heart is learning to think like an entrepreneur.  There is a problem and you must solve it.  Along with learning self defense in martial arts, the students are also taught compassion.  They learn to use control in order to not hurt people needlessly, they learn to serve their community and to always be seeking an opportunity to help people.  All of these are reasons why martial artists are great leaders, and we should utilize this knowledge to bring this same level of leadership training into other activities.  Take a moment and imagine what it would be like if the next generation of doctors, lawyers, engineers, athletes, teachers and CEO's were leaders who made it their goal to lead the world in a positive direction.  Now take that mental imagine and imagine 5, 10, 15 generations from now.  What type of world will it be!?!

A story of a Happy Martial Artist - How Martial Arts Classes help me achieve a true happiness

Happiness, like all things, is a skill that you get better at with practice.  I get the feeling through many conversations I have with people that they view happiness as something that happens to them when certain external circumstances are in place, and that it is something that will just come to them and they can enjoy.  In my opinion, this is the wrong view about happiness.  Happiness is a skill, and your external circumstances only control your happiness if you let them.  It  takes hard work and effort to be skilled in the art of happiness, and it is not easy.  I believe that because being happy is not easy, so many people find excuses for why they are not happy, and they bury themselves in misery because they are not willing to put in the work to be happy.  They claim that they cannot be happy because they do not have a certain car, or that once they reach a certain status or pay level at work then they will be happy.  I think all those types of things are just excuses people make because they do not want to admit that the only thing they have to blame for not being happy is themselves.  Below I would like to talk about how I develop happiness, and then how being a martial artist has given me the skills I use to develop my happiness into a state of being that keeps a smile on my face and in my heart!

Working for Happiness:

Be Disciplined - Being happy takes a shift in the average person's thought process.  To some people thinking in a way that fosters happiness is natural, but I would say in today's society that is unfortunately not the norm.  If you wish to be happy, then you must discipline your mind to control your thoughts.  On a daily, moment to moment basis, you have to think positive yet realistic thoughts.  Express gratitude freely and often, for even the smallest almost insignificant things. One day be grateful that it is sunny, and the next be thankful for the rain.  Thank people for the things they do for you, and most importantly thank yourself.  In order to keep these kinds of thoughts, our minds have to be very disciplined and we have to have constant effort to stay positive, if we let our guard down even for a minute, things like the media and negative people will be quick to drag you down into the depressed thought pattern that is so common these days.  Guard your mind!

Be Physically Healthy - Your health can play a huge role in your happiness!  Workout on a regular basis and your body actually changes chemically to being happier!  Eat healthy foods, real foods, not all this processed junk that most of the world is eating.  The more natural the food the better it is for you, and the healthier it will make you.  Also, make sure you are getting enough sleep!  A lack of sleep will make you physically and mentally less healthy, leading to a greater risk of not being happy!  Exercise, eat healthy, stay active and work on the body you want to have, this alone could be the key to happiness for some people!

Be Around Happiness - Last but definitely not least, be around happiness....as much as possible!  If you surround yourself with people who are negative, unhappy and not seeking to improve, then you are in the wrong place!  Get around people who are happy, and you will be happier.  There are a few ways to do this.  One is to find happy people and spend time with them, and another is to create happy people; there is a lot of joy in helping others be happy!  Helping people be happy and surrounding yourself with happy people will most assuredly increase your own happiness many times over :)

How Martial Arts Helped Me:

Martial Arts Classes teach people discipline, you learn to control your emotions and your thoughts.  Traditional Martial Arts Classes are based on respect and honor, and in the practice of these things you will develop the discipline that it takes to be happy.  

As I am sure you all know, martial arts classes are also an incredible workout.  Classes will get you in great shape and lead to a healthy lifestyle.  I have known many people who when they started martial arts they were overweight, smokers, and had an awful diet.  When they decided to become martial artists they made changes in the way they lived their lives, the results of which made them much happier!

Another great benefit of taking Martial Arts is that in a martial arts school you are surrounded by people who are working on achieving the same things you are!  They are looking for happiness and peace, and will be excited to have you as a partner on their journey!  You will be able to be around people that are happy, and as a martial artist you will be able to help others find happiness as well!  

Martial arts teaches discipline, work ethic and an indomitable spirit, all of which will help you on the journey to being the happiest person you can be!  This new found happiness will improve your friendships, relationships with family and loved ones, and will give you a self culture that is much more conducive to a great life!


Strive on toward happiness!!


 RJ LoPresti

1614 Peachtree Parkway
Cumming, GA 30041
(678) 513-5436
http://www.iLoveMartialArtsGeorgia.com
http://www.iLoveKickboxing.com
https://www.youtube.com/InstructorRJLoPresti

Community Service - Why it is important for Martial Arts....and everyone else!

Are you doing enough to serve your community?  Is your life set up in such a way that you are able to work toward your goals, live the life you want to live, and help make the world a better place at the same time?  In Martial Arts Classes we teach the importance of helping others, improving ourselves and our community at the same time.  As an instructor I strive to teach my students that the reason we learn Martial Arts is to make the world a better place, and I encourage them take the skills they learn in the school out into the "real world."  By the time you are done reading this short post I hope to explain why it is important for martial arts students to serve the community, and why everyone (even those who do not practice Martial Arts) should make some changes to their lives in order to help others more.


In today's society, Martial Arts Classes are thought of as a great way to get some exercise, learn self defense and to gain character traits such as respect, honor, humility, confidence and self-discipline, to name a few.  But when thinking about the role martial arts plays in the community, and why community service is especially important in martial arts, we have look back to where traditional martial arts comes from.  Traditional Asian martial arts, the kind that most of us think about, was originally practiced by a warrior class; we think about samurai, Shaolin monks, stuff like that.  These were highly trained warriors who lived by a very strict moral code.  It was their place in society to look after the people, and make sure they were protected against threats such as foreign attack, bandits, etc.  These warriors held a high rank in society, usually right below the status of the royals.  Now fast forward to modern day America.  The chance of a bandit attack in our home town is not something that the common American has to fear, and although the modern day Martial Arts Warrior may be forced to use their fighting abilities to defend themselves or others, the chances of it happening are not what they were back in the day of the Samurai.  But this does not mean that warrior's place in society is gone!  The threats have changed, but they have not vanished.  Instead of fending off bandits armed with swords, now we must fight off the bandits of apathy and selfishness.  People who have no regard for human life or suffering.  The battlefield is now everyday life, and as a Martial Arts Warrior our mission is to help people learn to have compassion for the suffering of others, and one of the best ways to do this is through teaching the importance of community service.  The warrior's mission should be to look after the welfare of the people in our community, and although the techniques we now use may be different than it was a few hundred years ago, the skills martial arts requires still helps us to serve the greater good.





Modern day martial arts instructors and students need to step up into the role of a warrior in society.  We need to attack issues that are plaguing society with the intensity we would attack someone coming at us with a sword trying to cut off our head.  Society needs people to step up into this role; and it is a perfect fit for the martial arts warrior. 

Now you may be saying "But I don't do Martial Arts..."  that is ok.  Although I strongly believe that Martial Arts can improve anyone's life, I understand that not everyone will become a Black Belt.  That being said, anyone can attack the issuing causing our community to suffer.  If everyone made it a priority to design their lives so that they were able to help others in some way shape or form, the world would be a better place.  Try to find ways, no matter how small, to give back.  If you are a business owner, then design systems in your business that will give back to society.  You can give back with time, money, services, smiles, or guidance for people in need. Parents, make sure you are providing your children with an example that teaches them the importance of community service, give them the lessons about the value of helping others.  If possible, follow a path that allows you to have a profession that enables you serve. 

Here are a few things that I think everyone can do:

1) Set a certain amount of time every month that you dedicate to helping others.  Here are a few examples, it can be volunteering at the local food bank, leading a class at your school or church, picking up trash, or planting trees in a local park.
2) Be conscious of how your actions affect others.  Are you living in a way that will not harm people and will help better society? 
3) Are you maximizing your potential?  If you are a teacher, business owner, parent, coach, or anyone with a sphere of influence, are you influencing people in a positive way?
4) Spend time on yourself.  If you are unhappy it is very difficult to help others.  Make sure you do what makes you feel good about yourself.  Spend time to improve yourself, exercise, learn, meditate, do some yoga, and don't forget to SMILE!!

If you have any other good ideas on how to better serve the community, please reach out to me.  I am always looking to learn how to do a better job :)  We have to all step up, the time is now!  Lets create a warriors class that rivals that of the Shaolin Monks of old..... Society is longing for people to fill the void and be warriors for good.  Do you have what it takes to be a modern day Martial Arts Warrior?

RJ LoPresti

1614 Peachtree Pkwy 
Cumming, GA 30041
(678) 513-5436
http://www.iLoveMartialArtsGeorgia.com
http://www.iLoveKickboxing.com
https://www.facebook.com/InstructorRJLoPresti
https://www.youtube.com/InstructorRJLoPresti

Leadership is a results oriented practice - Thoughts from an Instructor of Martial Arts Classes in Suwanee GA

If you look for guides on what makes a good leader, you will probably find thousands or maybe even millions of different traits, techniques and methods to make a good leader.  Some of these are good, some are great, and some probably guarantee your failure.   I believe it is good for people to study leadership, it is an art that has to be learned and practiced, but I think the most important thing for leaders to remember is that the number one trait, the only thing that truly matters in a leader is their ability to produce results.  No matter how flawlessly a leader uses the techniques taught by the leadership gurus, if they don’t create results then they are not an effective leader.  Now don’t take this to mean that to be a good leader you have to always succeed the first time, or that you have to get the result you set out for the first time.  What I mean by getting results as a leader is that you have to successfully create a positive change for the people you are leading, and you have to be able to do this consistently.  

  

A leader is someone who takes people from one place they are, to a place they should be.  This is sometimes a physical place, other times it is a mental or emotional place, and many times it is an achievement such as an assignment at work or winning a sports game.  No matter where the leader is leading people, a great leader always makes sure that the people being led are being developed along the way to make sure that not only do they get from one place to the next, they are improving along the way.  This is how you can get results even when you do not reach your goals.  This is a very profound idea and goal to me because when I think this way, I know that no matter what happens the people I am leading are moving forward; whether successful or not in our initial goal the people I am leading are improving and becoming better.

An example of a good leader from my past that got results even in failure is a football coach I had when I was younger.  I was about 11 years old and played on a team that was let’s say not full of future NFL stars.  We played many games and we only had one victory all season long, and that was because the other team didn’t show up….  We kind of sucked to be honest :)  Throughout this far from stellar year, the coaches kept us practicing hard.  They keep us giving our best effort in practice, we showed up and gave our all at every game.  Even though we quickly discovered that we would not make the playoffs, the coach taught us about the importance of trying our best in spite of the grim future.  I remember our last game, it was against a team called the Mustangs; they were the top ranked team.  I have a vivid memory of the coach sitting the team down before the game and talking to us.  One of my teammates said something to the affect of us having no chance.  The coach turned to him and said that if he felt that way he should just go home, because the rest of us were going to go out there and play our hearts out win or lose.  I think it was the best game we played all season.  We lost, badly, but we played as hard as we could, we pushed ourselves farther than we thought we possible could, and when the game was over we were proud, even though we lost.  That coach got results in spite of the team not winning; he took a group of young boys and taught them the importance of never giving up, and taught us to see things through even if the outlook is bleak.  I think that lessons like these are invaluable to our success.

As a leader at Choe's HapKiDo Martial Arts in Suwanee GA, I hope to be able to instill in all the students traits and skills that will better their lives.  My goal is for all of my students to stay with martial arts their entire life, get their black belt and continue to train and improve forever.  But I know that there is no way every one of my students will train HapKiDo Karate from now until the day they die.  A handful of students will be with me forever, but especially since the majority of my students take kids karate classes in Suwanee I know that they will grow up and may or may not even live here is Suwanee, GA when they are adults.  So basically the goal of having every single one of my students stay and train at the Suwanee Martial Arts School is an impossible one, but in the effort to be the best Martial Arts Leader I can, I will get results from each and every student.  If they come for one class, or for 30 years, I hope to give them some sort of result from them training with me that will improve their lives and make them a better member of the human race.

 

Here is my challenge to you.  If all the leaders in society (and EVERYONE is a leader in society so I am talking to you) strives to get results in every second of every day, the world will be a dramatically different place.  It will be full of growth and improvement in all areas of our society and our lives.  We will be able to reach beyond what we thought was possible as a community and soar to heights unimaginable!  Call me a dreamer, but I believe that if we all commit to becoming a leader in our daily actions, we can change the world.  WHO IS WITH ME?!?!

RJ LoPresti

1614 Peachtree Parkway 
Cumming, GA 30041
(678) 513-5436
http://www.iLoveMartialArtsGeorgia.com
http://www.iLoveKickboxing.com
https://www.facebook.com/InstructorRJLoPresti
https://www.youtube.com/InstructorRJLoPresti

Consistency is a key trait for Black Belts ..... and any successful person

Consistency is a crucial trait to have for success, not just in martial arts but in business, school, relationships, and all other areas of our lives.  As a professional Martial Arts Instructor I am constantly teaching my students to demonstrate respect, to have focus, to practice humility and compassion...the list goes on and on.  But I feel that all of these character traits do not truly become useful until they are backed with the Self Discipline of Consistency.

Take for example a math problem when you were in elementary school.  You could guess a random number, and maybe it is the correct answer.  But can you repeat your success?   Being able to repeat your positive action or behavior is where true success lies.  In fighting we all keep in the back of our minds what I call the "punchers chance"  which is the chance that even someone with little training can take out a champion with a random blow.  The odds are very low that this will happen, and if it did the chance of it happening again are even less.  This person wont become a world champion because they cannot consistently repeat their success, even if they did something amazing one time.  Now we all want to be champions, not necessarily in fighting, but a champion in life in general.  We do not want to just have a minute of glory that came from us getting lucky one time, we want to be able to consistently reproduce our success so that we can take it to new levels each and every day.  

To be consistent we need to have right effort.  We have to be always watchful of the results we are producing and analyzing how and why we are getting those results no matter if they are good or bad.  If we are not getting results that are exceptional on a consistent basis then we need to change, improve and push forward again.  That being said, I have had students and staff members tell me "No one can be perfect every time, we are all going to have our off days."  I agree with that one hundred percent.  Life will always have its ups and downs, good days and bad days.  People of mediocre success will use this as a crutch to have "off days" but successful people take this as a challenge.  How successful people think is that if we know we will have some days that are worse than others, we need to train ourselves to make our worst day better than the best day of everyone else.  Think about that....  Your worst day is better than others best day.  Is that possible?  If you really want to be as successful as you possibly can be then you know that it is.

So how do you practice consistency in our every day lives?  Be relentless on yourself!  Don't let yourself do anything less than amazing.  Is every aspect of your life at a level of awesome that is head and shoulders above everyone else?  If not, correct it now, immediately and completely.  Surround yourself with people that hold you to this level of success, not people who drag you down below what you are capable of.  If you are able to do something right, then there is no excuse to do it any other way!  It amazes me the multitude of excuses people come up with as to why they could not do something as well as they could.  "I was in a hurry." "I didn't think about it." "It was hard."  And on and on.  To me, all these lame excuses are just another way of saying "It is not important enough to me."  And that is fine, not all people are cut out to be successful, but these people have absolutely no right to complain about not being where they want to be in life.  Like the expression goes, you sleep in the bed you make.  If you want to be on another level, then you have to get yourself there!

When one of my students earns their Black Belt, I feel like they have shown that they have the ability to demonstrate the character traits and physical skills needed to be a Black Belt.  At this point it is now the mission of the New Black Belt to demonstrate consistency in their actions.  They have what it takes to be a Black Belt, but now the test is to actually live like one, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is why I feel Black Belts can be so productive and successful in whatever endeavor they take part in, they are attempting to have all the traits that a Black Belt should have in every thought and action....in every ounce of their being. 

These are my thoughts, this is how I feel.  When people come to me with excuses I smile, tell them Iunderstand and encourage them to keep going; in my heart though, I think that excuses are for people who are not strong enough with their discipline in consistency to practice being a Black Belt with every ounce of their being.  We all have the same 24 hours in day, there have been so many people with tons of different disabilities and disadvantages that have found levels of success beyond imagination.... So whats your excuse?!


RJ LoPresti

3020 Old Atlanta Rd
Cumming, GA 30041
(678) 513-5436
http://www.iLoveMartialArtsGeorgia.com
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Failure, Success and being a Warrior

Do you find failure to be a scary word? A lot of people are terrified of failure, and I think this fear is unrational and prevents a lot of people from reaching the levels of success that they are capable of. In this quick post I hope to explain why the fear of failure is holding our society back, talk about some techniques to overcome this fear and talk about why in my experiences being a Martial Arts Black Belt I have found that learning the warrior mind set has helped me achieve my goals.

 

A quick Google search of failure will give us this definition: Failure is the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, and may be viewed as the opposite of success. Why is that so scary to most people; we are scared of a "state or condition." Nowhere in that definition is there anything about this state being permanent, and as we know from our everyday life states and conditions are temporary. The only way failure becomes permanent is if we give up, so I think giving up is what we should be afraid of, not failure!

The next part I liked about the Google definition of failure is the fact that failure may be viewed as the opposite of success. Failure is the opposite of success,  just like hot is the opposite of cold, or night is the opposite of day. This is the Yin and Yang of life,  failure and success are counterparts, and one could not exist without the other. I like this so much because that means that within success there is failure, and within failure there is everything you need for success. Ask any successful person what they think about failure and I am willing to bet they will tell you that they are successful because of what they learned from failing. Successful people have a different perception of failure, and it is this difference that separates successful people from others. The greatest thing about this is that YOU are in charge of your own perceptions; you can control them!  There is nothing inherently bad about failure, it is only bad if you make it that way by giving up or letting the fear of it control your life.

This brings me to how you can overcome your fear of failure. You need to make a shift in how you think about failure, and life as a whole. There is a massive change that needs to take place in the way to think and how you react to the things that happen to you on a day to day basis. The change in the way we think needs to be from that of an unsuccessful person to that of the successful person. The biggest shift that needs to happen is in our perception of the things that go on around us. Of course our perceptions having to do with success and failure, but also with smaller things as well. An example of this is how you react to the small negative things that happen in your life. If it is raining and dreary outside are you sad, or do you think about the positive things that rain can bring like growth and health in nature. A few ways to change your perception and attitude towards things is to be more grateful, loving, respectful and helpful. If you cultivate these attitudes on a daily basis you'll be able to change your mind to that of a successful person. When this change occurs, you no longer fear failure because your perception of it will be different. You will realize that failure is an opportunity to learn and you become better from it and this will help you reach success.

This brings me to the warrior mindset. In the days of old, warriors lived and died by the state of their mind. If they went into battle assuming they're already lost, of course their thought would become a reality. It is because of this that they developed a spirit that was indomitable.  Nothing could defeat them, and it is this mindset that strengthened their spirit and will to always move forward in the direction of success. I understand that the majority of you reading this are probably not going to be heading into battle. But this does not mean that you cannot develop the warrior mindset. Me being a martial artist, the warrior mindset is something that we cultivate and develop on a daily basis, it is this mindset that will not allow a failure to prevent me from becoming successful in whatever I wish to do. It is all the failures that have made me who I am.  Sure they suck at the time but using the warrior mindset I move forward past any failure and I'm better off for it.

If you set the bar low because you are afraid to fail, you may be able to prevent yourself from failing but you will never reach a success that you are truly capable of.  If you want to reach your greatest potential you must continue to raise the bar until you fail.  Then try again, and again until you make it.  See, the biggest thing that you as a warrior understands is that the difference in success and failure is you.  Failure (and success) is just a state or condition that you are experiencing, so if you can control your perception (meaning if you can control your mind and emotions) then you determine if you will have failure or success.

 

RJ LoPresti
www.facebook.com/InstructorRJLoPresti
www.choeshapkidocumming.blogspot.com/
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www.iLoveMartialArtsGeorgia.com
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The very wonderfu HapKiDo history I have been lucky enough to enjoy

I started Martial Arts training at the age of 6, and it has been one of the most positive influences I have had in my life.  I am very lucky having had the opportunity to learn from some of the most amazing people not only in the Martial Arts world, but the teachers I have are world famous for so much more!

When I started Martial Arts as a kid, the only reason I had for wanting to do it was so I could be like a Power Ranger, but soon after I began training it became so much more to me.  It was an outlet for energy, a place to make quality friends that were positive influences, and a place where I could learn and develop into a constructive member of society.  HapKiDo quickly turned from a hobby that I did twice a week into a lifestyle that I practiced every second of every day.  I went from being someone who did Martial Arts into a Martial Artist, and once this happened I took off on the awesome and exciting journey of living a Black Belt life and haven't looked back since.  

Grandmaster Choe has taught me so much that it would be very difficult to express the depth of the knowledge that he has passed on to his students in this short blog.  Since I have started learning from Grandmaster Choe I have attended a yearly seminar taught by Grandmaster where I have been fortunate enough to learn areas of the Martial Arts that is only available to a select few people in the world.  The detail, precision and effectiveness of the techniques I have learned is mind blowing!  The physical techniques I learned at all of these events have been fun and developed me into a true Black Belt.  Also, Grandmaster Choe is the world's leading SaSang Acupuncture expert, and the knowledge on this topic that his students learn make what we do complete by not only learning the self defense of HapKiDo, but also how to live a healthier and happier life.  As a student of Chung Mu HapKiDo I am not only learning the awesome and effective martial art of HapKiDo, I am a complete Martial Artist who knows how to live a happier more fulfilled life and share this knowledge with others. 

I feel very fortunate to have the privilege to learn from a TRUE martial arts Grandmaster.  Most of the time when I read about a Master in the Martial Arts they have mastered one area of a Martial Art.  Grandmaster Choe has mastered a wide variety of areas and he is passing all of that information along to the instructors of his schools!

I am constantly grateful to be a part of an origination that is lead by such a knowledgeable individual who is so willing to share!  Any student who is lucky enough to learn at a school under the tutelage of Grandmaster Choe is very lucky indeed!




RJ LoPresti
www.facebook.com/InstructorRJLoPresti
www.choeshapkidocumming.blogspot.com/
www.youtube.com/InstructorRJLoPresti
www.iLoveMartialArtsGeorgia.com
www.iLoveKickboxing.com