There is no doubt that martial arts are a physical activity. Yet, this very physical activity teaches mindfulness, self-reflection, and inner strength. Surprisingly, these personal experiences contribute holistically to both personal and professional growth. Let’s explore exactly how martial art training allows you to excel in your career to achieve professional success.
Mindset
I rely heavily on the growth mindset martial arts instilled in me. This mindset is an unwavering belief in your ability to improve yourself through dedication and effort. This allows martial artists to overcome challenges in their martial art practice, face and overcome setbacks, and continually strive for excellence, all of which contribute to personal excellence as well as success in the workplace.
Positivity
A growth mindset is not possible without positivity. In the training space, positivity is a part of an atmosphere that encourages personal ambition and motivation. Martial artists learn to maintain a positive outlook in the face of adversity, like facing a sparring opponent in the ring. They must overcome any negative mindset to spar the opponent with the belief that they will potentially win. Martial artists also allow this sense of optimism and possibility to seep into their professional lives.
Think about it. Positivity enables martial artists to approach challenges with confidence and creativity and ultimately turn obstacles into opportunities. This is exactly what creates a successful professional. Most of us accept that we are predisposed to negativity. Overcoming this predisposition is a key to professional success and enables you to stand out in the midst of other employees or job candidates.
Empowerment
Through martial arts, individuals experience a profound sense of empowerment. What is empowerment exactly? Is it some type of special ability, like a superhero sporting a cape that allows them to be invincible?
That’s a good description, but really, it is a belief in your own strength and capabilities. Martial art practitioners utilize their confidence to lead others, advocate for themselves and their teams, and make their work more of a pursuit of their goals then a daily “grind.”
Communication
One of the most successful and core professional traits is good communication. Do martial arts improve communication? Of course!
Martial arts require the ability to Communicate effectively amongst practitioners as well as between students and instructors. The emphasis on creating clear and concise communication in the training space is a skill that strengthens interpersonal skills. Martial art practitioners learn to effectively convey their ideas, collaborate effectively, and build meaningful relationships. These same concepts overflow into being a successful professional in the workplace.
Being a martial art instructor for so many years taught me many valuable lessons about communication. I had to verbally explain techniques in a concise manner, give good and understandable commands, help students learn and improve, and even admit if I made a mistake, all to ensure my students succeeded. Good communication allows you to give of yourself when someone else’s success is at stake. In retrospect, I learned so much about leadership by improving my communication skills in martial art training.
Leadership
As noted, martial arts cultivate essential leadership skills. Martial artists develop the ability to inspire, motivate, and empower others by leading warm-up exercises, explaining complicated techniques, guiding practitioners through sequences, and teaching how to fall, fight, and flow. These communication abilities translate fluently to leadership skills in the professional realm. Professionalism requires you to leverage leadership skills in order to influence positive change, drive team performance, and achieve collective success.
Extra Step Up!
To conclude, martial arts offer a multifaceted approach that directly correlates to being a good leader. Success factors such as mindset, positivity, empowerment, communication, and leadership skills transfer directly from martial art practice to professional life.
I should caveat this all by answering the question that is on everyone’s mind. Do you have to be a martial artist to be a better leader? No, being a martial artist is not necessary to make you a better leader. If you do not study martial arts, not all is lost. All that you must do is embrace and improve the martial art principles defined here and apply them to your professional life.
Learning a martial art, however, gives you an extra step up and an extra edge when it comes to standing out in the professional world. It provides the unique dual purpose of self-defense combined with self-confidence that allows you unlock your full potential and thrive in your career.
xoxo
Andrea
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