Martial arts practice will allow you to deal with a spectrum of emotions. I love every chance I get to practice …if you couldn’t already tell. However, it’s also very challenging and full of difficult moments, both emotionally and physically.

When I hear someone say, “it is hard,” I usually reply with something along the lines of, “Yes, it’s supposed to be hard; otherwise, you would learn nothing.”

Anyone you’ve ever seen wearing a higher-ranked belt has undoubtedly experienced the hard times. If everyone quit the moment it gets hard, then no one would learn how to face challenges. The same is true about any sport or significant achievement. Of course, it’s going to be hard at times! I doubt anyone who conquered Mount Everest said it was easy but always worth it. If martial arts were easy, we would learn nothing from the journey, and practice would lack the opportunity to grow as a person.

I appreciate the students who rise to the challenge when given a difficult task. And also those who rise to the challenge with excitement and determination! Those are the warriors; those are the top achievers. For those who grunt and complain at a challenge, I will do my best to correct the behavior positively; I’ll encourage students to realize what they will learn from that challenge. Just as students train their muscles to the movements, we must train our minds with practice to take on the difficult tasks with courage.

Do something for yourself that isn’t easy, do something for yourself that is a challenge, do something for yourself that puts you outside of your comfort zone. That is how we grow. If you have a child who complains when it gets hard, don’t let them take the easy out. Encourage them to push forward, then ask them what they learned when they reached the other side. And, of course, do the same for yourself.

Challenge, change, excel. Train hard, OSU!