I hope I am not the only one that feels this way!  This last week in class we worked on a special Mat Chat called "Organization".  Kind of a weird topic when it comes to martial arts, but a super important topic on succeeding in life.  I used the analogy of wanting to open a donut shop on Mars.  We tried to figure out everything we would need to start our business.  A rocket ship, air, customers, donut mix, employees and on and on until we came up with every idea possible for our new venture.  We then started to prioritize the most important things we would need first and it was pretty epic to see how my students think.  In the end we related the topic to life and our future.  We talked about how they can do amazing things in their life.  We covered how to learn from others success and about starting small to learn how to grow big.  The path became clear when we were specific in what we wanted to do and the people and business that could help us.  Organization is not about shoes or pots and pans, but can also be about laying out our dreams in an order we can achieve them.  In the end I saw everyone in class pick up on the idea that anything is possible!

Everybody has a bad day or so I have been told.  I happened upon a really great article the other day that gave me new perspective on those bad days.  Maybe it's not the whole day thats bad.  Maybe it's just a few minutes of bad followed by a whole day of thinking about it?  Often times it can be easier to latch on to one event and measure the rest of the day by it's impact.  I think about all those brain freezes I used to get in the summer as a kid as I tried to eat a Slurpee at high speed.  Now that definitely did not deter me from ever liking cold things again.  Instead I think it took many more attempts for me to learn my lesson on how I react to high fructose fun and brain pain!  The outcome of your emotions is always up to you.  We have all had those moments of embarrassment or going splat in public only to have a friend seconds later making us laugh uncontrollably about our latest comedy routine (all while we are still in pain mind you).  It's a choice how we react and how we behave in any moment.   With that said we can turn on a dime to make our mood better for everyone at anytime.  What magical powers we have at our fingertips during a bad day!

Today at our beautiful school I was cleaning the floors and bathrooms making sure it was the best it could be before class when my mind started to wander.  I often find this type of work relaxing and meditative.  I know weird right, but for me I can't relax until all the work is done and I give myself permission to stop.  It's just my thing.  I don't expect my family or friends to do the same or even understand.  Its just my thing.  As I was mopping I started to think about how this relates to our students and their future success.  My students will meet many people over their lifetime that they will believe have their best interest in mind and some how be let down by those people.  The drive to succeed has to be nurtured and a path laid out that they can go alone at some point.  The old saying that leaders are born is not true in anyway shape or form.  Leaders are made.  Everyone has the potential to be a leader in different ways and in different industries.  Hard work is not enough.  Everyone works hard, but hustle is kind of a secret ingredient.  For 25 years I have worked two jobs just so I could do what I love.  Thats hustle my friends.  Hard work is the act of doing your job to the best of your ability everyday.  Hustle is the willingness to do everything and anything it takes to follow your dreams.  I have hustle and so do my students.  At some point in everyones training they decide to reevaluate if martial arts is right for them.  The reason some one may have started martial arts at my school is learn karate, but the reason they stay is because they have that desire within themselves to be better than the norm.  This can't be taught but instead encouraged.  The world has changed and now everyone has a college degree working at the local ice cream shop.  Thats the norm.  When I was young that made you a superstar right off the bat.  So what are you willing do to help yourself and your child succeed?  I know what I will try and teach the students that stay with me.  These students will have that secret ingredient they found for themselves, hustle.