Things I don't want to be

I've been inspired in martial arts by many people, young and old.  I've also noticed a few things I'd like to avoid like a plague. Here are two things I try to avoid, with only partial success:

Fear #1  Too Much Talking, Not Enough Kicking

photo by Joel Ford

You've been in one of those classes, where the instructor just talks and talks and talks and you never quite have a chance to get your martial groove on.  I live in fear of being that instructor.  I know what I'm thinking as they drone on, and I hope that no one ever thinks that about me.

Sure, sure, we have loads of inspiration and wisdom to share.  But actually, they don't really want to hear it right now.

That pedestal is not for you

Photo by: vichie81

It's so easy in our field to become a dictator.  After all, we are the keepers of our tradition, of our standards and we hold the key to belt promotions.  We are the heads of our schools and people come to us actually believing that we have knowledge and character beyond the typical person.  With all that adoration and respect (which we demand anyway, in the name of discipline), how do we NOT get a fat head?

In martial arts, you hear so much about the importance of being humble and I agree that it is one of the top traits in a great instructor or leader.  But how do you know when you are being humble?  What does it look like?  And when is someone just faking it for the sake of reputation?  Humble is a full time job, and doesn't stop when class is dismissed.

Focus on the joy, forget about the junk

It would be easy to make an entire website full of posts about the problems that arise in a martial arts academy (or any small business for that matter), but that wouldn't give a true picture of how we owner/operator types spend our time.  I've compiled some mostly-accurate, fully-unsubstantiated statistics about how things really are.  Understand that these are ratios only, and can be extrapolated to encompass larger, multi-site operations.  Enjoy:

-For every grumpy-butt who complains, there are 22 people who want you to keep doing exactly what you do, 9 who absolutely adore you as a person, 17 would wish they had your life, and 3 who think you're hot.

The original motivational speaker: Mom

I think I was exceptionally lucky to be born to parents who were both educators.  They automatically taught my brother and I that we can do anything.  They programmed us to try new things, to try again if we messed up, to analyze failure but not to dwell on it.  They always believed in us, and so, we did too.  And like most kids, what I believed to be true about myself, I assumed was true for everyone else.

When I listen to motivational tapes and read success books now, much of it hinges on similar principles.  Beliefs have in impact on

Teacher... or, Keeper?

What makes someone a teacher and not just a keeper?  I know people who call themselves teachers, instructors, and coaches, but they are certainly not all equally capable in those positions.  It's not enough to watch over students and take them through their paces.  Teaching has to be more than that.

(this is hard to discuss without being insulting, I fear, so stop reading if you are the queasy type)

Imagine a pre-school classroom, filled with seven young children and one adult.  Clearly, we want the adult to be "in charge" and "responsible" but, simply being present in the room doesn't necessarily mean the adult is skilled as such.  For anything constructive to happen,