10/30/2023
So often people leave martial arts when it gets "hard" but this isn't often seen as it got hard in the minds of those leaving. "it's not challenging enough" or "there's nothing new anymore" are the anecdote's I commonly hear.
But I don't think it's ever been there's nothing new anymore or it's not challenging enough, it comes when the step up is improving what we already know. Perfecting it, there's always new things and new ways to improve but we lose the learners outlook because to continue is "hard". To see that next level of improvement is "hard". But doing hard things affects our game, we need to finish our goal one step at a time.
And if we feel or our children feel like "it's not challenging enough", "there's nothing new anymore", or "it's too hard" it's time for a talk about why that is. Do you feel you know everything? Does it feel too easy? What about it are you no longer liking? From there go to the instructor of whatever activity, school subject, or project they're working on. And fully explain what it is they feel like they're missing because there's always more goals to learn, new levels to reach, and ways to improve.
Looking for what's next gives a well-rounded idea, whereas saying I'm done because it's not - whatever, is not just unfair to an instructor who may need to improve but unfair to you before you quit because you never know what's next. Parents always tell me they wished they had finished and had their parents help them get there, but rarely does anyone take the introspection to get to blackbelt.
Why do we focus so much on the basics than the next new crazy thing? The basics contain way more than you know. Without them perfected you'll never reach the end goal. 🥋
Taekwon
Master Hutchison
P.S. You can take martial arts as far as any sport, this can be: as far as you want to, as far as your dedication, and as far as you can.
I believe in each and everyone of you that found your way into my do-jang.