January 2003 Newsletter

This Newsletter is published monthly on this website to offer information and motivation to our readers.

 

Happy New Year!

January 2003

If you subscribe to the belief that there is always room for improvement, you are probably one of the millions of people who establishes resolutions each New Year. Experts agree that setting goals for yourself is an important step in achieving what you want. However, if you take a moment to reflect upon last year’s resolutions, you will probably discover that somehow most of those resolutions have slipped away unfulfilled. What went wrong?

Setting resolutions has become as common an activity each December 31 as opening a bottle of champagne or singing Auld Lang Syne. Unfortunately, the yearly routine of establishing resolutions is not always followed by a plan to attain them. Having a plan is like having travel directions: with them, you not only know where you want to go but you also know how to get there. A plan is absolutely vital to enable you to keep your resolutions.

If your resolutions are realistic and you follow a good plan, there is no reason that you can’t make a resolution come true. But before getting started, it is important to note the difference between goals and resolutions. A goal is a result that you strive towards while a resolution involves personal changes you will need to make in order to achieve a goal.

action principles

by Bill FitzPatrick

You can handle most problems because you know that only a little time stands between you and your goal. It may take twenty calls to make a sale. Be patient. It might take you five attempts to quit smoking or lose weight. It might take ten applications to get the job you really want.The point is that you try and keep trying until you succeed. Most people quit too soon. Be persistent. Be patient. Concentrate on your major goal until you have achieved it. It is not what you did yesterday. It is not what you may be doing today. It is what you are prepared to do every day.That one cold morning when you want to roll over but instead get up and go to the gym, is a defining moment.

Remember that all wealth, all businesses, all real estate and all treasures eventually pass from old hands to young. Be prepared.Your time is coming.

 

How Martial Arts Changed My Life

By Michael Baumann, Age 13

Martial Arts has helped me both physically and mentally in life. I have learned to be confident both in Martial Arts and school. Since joining Martial Arts 8 years ago, I have reached many of my early goals. A few of my achievements to date include: Jr. Black Belt in 2000,Teen Black Belt in 2002 and Demonstration Team Member for 5 years. I plan on continuing karate to earn my Adult Black Belt and rank of Sensei before I go to college.

My instructor has taught me how to handle myself in different situations. I have learned to be courteous and respectful toward others. I have also learned what good sportsmanship is all about.Martial Arts is the best thing I did for myself.

Michel is a student at Pace Institute of Karate owned by Mike Pace.

Martial Arts Success Stories personalProfiles

Consider these examples:

1.Your goal is to achieve your black belt while your resolution is to attend class more consistently. One person’s resolution can be another person’s goal, as in this example.

2.Your goal is to attend class more consistently and your resolution is to make more time in your personal life to enable you to attend class more regularly.

Here’s a plan that you can use for all your goals and resolutions, not just the ones you set on December 31:

Step 1 - Put it in Writing:Write your goal on paper or type it in a text document on your computer. Seeing is believing. For example: I want to become a great Black Belt.

Step 2 - List Your Strategies:Write down everything that you think you will need to do to achieve your goal. These are your resolutions. For example, resolve to attend class 8 to 10 times per month, resolve to eat healthy food, resolve to practice at home at least twice per week, resolve to ask for help when you don’t understand a technique.

Step 3 - Take Action: This is a tricky step because you need to be motivated in order to act.Motivation is sometimes lacking because at times a resolution you make may be difficult or even undesirable to act upon. This is where your Martial Arts training really helps you by building the self-confidence to take that “leap-of-faith” first step.

Step 4 - Perform Frequent Check-ups: You are responsiblefor your goals.Therefore, you must make it a priority to evaluate your progress and to determine if your action is taking you towards success. Expect set-backs! Any challenging goal or resolution is bound to face obstacles. Routine check-ups allow you to identify obstacles that you need to overcome, and also to monitor the progress you are making which will increase your motivation. Step 5 - Adjust and Cycle: Now that you have achieved some results and you have identified some obstacles you may need to make adjustments and cycle back to Step 1. Knowing what you know now, has your goal changed? Maybe it was too easy or too hard.What can be added to your “To Do” list (Step 2)? What isn’t working that should be deleted? Continue to “Take Action,” perform “Frequent Check-ups,” and “Adjust and Cycle” until you reach the desired result.

If you are serious about making a major or minor change in yourself for the New Year,make a commitment to follow this five-step plan for success.