Belief from Grandmaster Brown
Believe in Yourself
In our society, we have been conditioned into believing that there are times in our life that we should do and/or not do things. As an example, it is a belief among some in our society that martial arts is for young fit males. We in the martial arts know that martial arts is for young fit males AND everyone else as well.
Martial arts training is even more important to those that don’t believe they can “do it”. People who follow that belief and try martial arts, will either make the most mistakes or none at all, because they are trying their best not to get something wrong. If they are not making mistakes they are tending to just follow exactly what is being shown. They will still have a good experience, however it will take much longer for them to assimilate the information, making it a part of them. Those that make the most mistakes and keep trying and learning gain so much more when they finally “get it”.
Taking the risk of freeing yourself of your fear of “looking silly” or “not knowing what to do” is a first step in changing your mindset from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. This can be very scary, so it also takes some personal courage to engage in an activity that you don’t really feel is for you.
When you make a mistake you can dwell on it and stay in the past or you can learn from it and move into the future.
The people that takes that leap of faith, overcomes their fears, and learns from their mistakes by going through the process of getting it right, make the greatest strides in martial arts and possibly their lives, once they apply these same lessons to their daily life.
Be a winner - start investing in yourself and take a martial art. Look for an appropriate instructor for you - style is not as important as that person that is helping guide your life. Once you find that person and follow their guidance, you will be happier with your outlook on life.