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A Mindset for Everyone

November 17, 2024

Martial Art Mindset

A martial art mindset is a powerful tool to help overcome life’s challenges. It benefits everyone, not just those who practice martial arts, as long as you know how it works.

Consistency

One of the key lessons in martial arts is the importance of consistency. Martial art success and life success rarely happen overnight. In martial arts, there are always numerous steps and personal physical obstacles to overcome. Some martial art systems have belt levels where you can only advance from one belt to the next through consistently practicing martial arts and attending classes.

When you apply this consistency concept to everyday life, you realize that true progress comes through steady effort, even when the path is long or challenging. This approach works in any situation and teaches you to stay committed to your goals so you can find success. Being consistent means you continually follow through on your plan or your actions.

Examples

A few years ago, I decided to work on my master’s degree in organizational management. Like martial arts, attending classes, writing timely responses and participating in class consistently was required. I worked hard and applied this consistency principle and ended up doing very well and earning my new degree over the course of 2 years.

Another good example is entrepreneurs. Many credit their success to the discipline that they  set and their commitment to goals, much like martial artists do. They understand that true progress happens over time and requires patience. These qualities are essential to build a business from the ground up.

Courtesy of Ylanite Koppens/Stocksnap.io

Even in relationships, a martial art mindset helps you learn how to communicate with patience and respect consistently by working through differences more effectively and treating conflicts as opportunities for growth. Trust me, I’ve been married almost 37 years thanks in part to using many of the skills I learned in martial arts about mindset and communication.

Resilience

If you want to use the martial art mindset in your life, adopt a sense of steadfast resilience to recover quickly when necessary and keep moving forward after setbacks. Life is full of unexpected challenges but when you view failures as insights, experiences or even stepping stones rather than defeats, you forge ahead.

If you find yourself struggling with a goal or a situation, resilience is a part of the mindset that reminds you to keep going. It is a small voice inside that tells you what you may lose by giving up now. When you ponder the loss versus the potential success, you choose success even if it is difficult to achieve it.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a powerful element of the martial arts that encourages calmness and presence. You learn to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively in stressful situations, which makes a significant difference in how you handle daily pressures.

In martial arts, I never loved sparring. I wasn’t bad at it but I didn’t like it very much. Even though I didn’t like it, I learned a lot about calmness, presence and how to react from it. I learned the hard way that wildly throwing a punch or kick and hoping to score doesn’t work very well. Likely, you miss or set your opponent up with an opening that allows them to score against you instead. Staying calm and looking for the right time and space to throw your technique takes mindfulness – maybe just a calm second or two to recognize your next move.

Courtesy of stocksnap.io

If you react impulsively, you never win. Impulsive reactions in life work the same way. They push you in the wrong direction.

Conclusion

The most important lesson about the martial art mindset is that it is available to everyone. Now that you know the key elements – consistency, resilience and mindfulness, you can intentionally apply these to many areas of your life. This mindset is essential to build a foundation of personal success.  The martial art mindset is more a way of thinking than a martial art tenet. In fact, it is a way of becoming your best self.

xoxo

Check out my podcasts and books below for more inspiration and insights!

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