Success can not come without Goal Setting!
Most people with a goal will state their intentions and never really know what it means to set a goal. They think they’ve set a goal but they soon find out that they haven’t done some part of what they want or need to achieve that goal. I remember a student setting a goal of beating another martial artist in a tournament. However the person they wanted to beat was already 10 yrs ahead of them in skills. They set their sites too high and couldn’t have possibly done what they wanted to achieve with the plan they had set up.
Planning, ah yes, yeah I can do that. Uhhhh, what kinda plan you talking about Sensei?
Success if it comes, first must be set in motion with a serious plan. No, not just a thought, I mean a plan. To plan you must first determines what you need to do to succeed. Do I need to loose weight, gain strength, learn new techniques, maybe a new kata. Next how do I reach these other goals. Yes I said other goals! First set a major and several minor goal, or a main goal and again several mini goals. Keep the main goal in mind but check off each mini goal as you progress toward your main goal. People want to win in competition and then they practice only in class and maybe not even every class. They sometimes may not even break a sweat and when they fail at their first attempt, they say tournaments aren’t fair!
I’ve had people who attended only a few tournaments try to tell me what is wrong with tournaments. I’ve competed and judged in hundreds of tournaments so I think I can make a informed judgement on the subject. I’ve been to little ones and big ones and yes there are some unfair things that go on but overall most judges try to be fair but more importantly, the winners don’t go to one tournament and quit competing. Most often the winners at tounaments have learned the lessons of goal setting.
I went to my first tournament as a white belt with hopes of doing well. I was sorely disappointed. I actually thought, no face contact meant that the other guy would not try to take my head off, WRONG! I didn’t get hurt (except my feelings). I set a goal to beat this guy. I found out that the guy who beat me had about 1 & 1/2 yr head start on me. Being a competitive person I didn’t let that dissuade me. It was funny because the first three tournaments I always got paired up with this guy. He was a very good spin kicker so I figured out how to beat a spin kick. When I got matched up with him in my third tournament I gave him the opening he was looking for and he threw his spin kick and when he came around I wasn’t there. I was behind him and punched him in the back of his head. I did that twice and when he froze up because his favorite technique failed him he had nothing to respond with, I did a simple back fist to his head to finish the match. I was kind of excited to say the least.
What I had done was set my sites on him. I learned what I needed to know about him. My Sensei had taught him in karate right before he opened our school, so he knew all about him. I read karate books and magazines to get ideas. I asked questions and picked my Sensei’s brain. I had a very good instructor and I listened and appreciated every correction I got! I learned how to beat the secret weapon and I had a great sparring partner who also love to spar and compete. We worked together and even though we were great friends he always was trying to top me. We helped each other tremendously.
Getting back to my student who wanted to beat the other competitor. He chose someone who was way ahead of him. His nemesis was training everywhere he could and his father was willing to take him. He even competed in other countries. My student and I watched his nemesis compete at at a national tournament and he was amazing. I could see his hopes fading! He suddenly realized his goal was unattainable and in the following months he began to draw away from competing and training and eventually dropped out of the school.
Number one thing in goal setting, is you need to do is to choose an attainable goal. Try to set a time frame to give yourself a little more urgency. Then you make a plan. Your plan must include your mini goals and practice regimen, a training partner and / or coach. If possible read, watch training videos but above all if you have a very good coach or coaches listen to them and do what they say, do not constantly second guess them because you saw something on boobtube. If you suddenly realize that your goal is out of reach at this time, readjust your goal!
Karate is an awesome teacher of goal setting if you know what you’re looking at. The black belt is the main goal. Each belt are the mini goals. Time frame, ask what is the usual time frame and plan to push the envelope. If you really want to be good get private instruction. Train hard, don’t miss classes because you have a ache or a pain or even a true injury. My oldest student asked his doctor if he could train with cracked ribs, no kidding! Help teach if possible. Teaching is a great way to make things make sense. Above all sweat in class!
Goal Setting = Success!!!!!!!
Written by Perry Culver 6th dan Shotokan Karate
Culver Karate Club
Connellsville, Pa 15425
Ph: 724-626-5425
