I believe in trying new things in life. I feel that by getting out of my comfort zone, learning new information, putting myself in challenging situations that force me to sharpen my skills or create skills I never had, can only serve me in growing into the man I want become. As a kid I always assumed that when I became an adult I would “have it all down” and be the person I supposed to be. Who knew I’d have to work so hard and continually learn from mistakes?
Life is just one big journey and it’s up to you to make of it what you want it to be. It can full of conflict or full of love. It can be a learning experience or a dull void where not even a weed could grow in the garden of your mind. It can be exciting or dull and mundane. Life can be empty or it can be meaningful. Life can be lonely or can be filled with loving and supportive people. Life is not about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself. Yet you’re usually told something different early on aren’t you?
How many times growing up did you hear the phrase, “you’ll find yourself.”? Mom, Dad, a teacher or coach perhaps started the conversation, “when you grow up you’ll finally find yourself….” As if you were not there all along. The downside to this is that every time you go looking for yourself, you are already there. I don’t believe in “finding”, I believe in creating. I believe that you can become what you want to become. So rather than looking for yourself, start thinking about what you want, and then start planning on how you’ll achieve that. You’ll be better off for it, you’ll enjoy the process much more, you’ll grow, you’ll stretch, you’ll learn.
A year ago, I knew my wife Mary and I were going to move from Tampa Bay Clearwater
I did everything one is supposed to do to get a good position with a large company like Morgan Stanley; a good resume, referrals, suit, tie and knock ‘em dead at the interview. It all worked as I was hired on the spot in my interview. I then studied for and passed all of the licensing exams (perhaps the most pain-through-boredom I’ve ever endured in my life), went through the rest of the training provided by the company and then hit the streets as a full fledged Financial Advisor. I hate it. I think a good analogy is that I may have been climbing the ladder of success, the problem was that it was leaning against the wrong wall. But then again, I wanted a new experience to learn more, to grow, to expand and get out of my comfort zone by doing something that I had never done before so that I could see if I could become successful at something new. And I did.
However, I’m a Martial Artist through and through. I love training, competing (or at least when I was younger and it didn’t hurt so bad), learning and of course teaching and sharing what I know with others. I love to help other people reach their full potential whether that be physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually. To see people work for something so important and then achieve it actually makes me feel like I have achieved my own goal! It is just amazing the benefits I get from helping others. So that’s why I have started Black Belt Living back up again.
I first created Black Belt Living in 2004 after many years of trial and error on creating the course that can help others achieve their most important goals. I used to think that people would be able to connect the dots from using the principles of success I taught in the Dojo, and translate them into the work world or at home. It rarely happened the way I felt it should. There was a disconnect between what I would say, explain how to use the principle and then getting anyone to take action on it. The students needed more from me and I needed to be both more creative in my programs and more clear in my methods. And so Black Belt Living was created.
I chose the name Black Belt Living because when you thinks of a Black Belt, you think of someone who is disciplined, focused and has mastered themselves both physically and mentally. You think of someone who is a little more enlightened than the next guy and extremely confident and secure in who they are and where they’re going in life. Through this course, you will literally become a Black Belt in Life.
The Black Belt Living course is complete because it has programs that help you define what your life’s purpose is, what your life’s mission is, what your most important goals are and how you’ll achieve them. Black Belt Living offers a means for you to develop physically through the FightZone Fitness program, which I have used to get my fighters and myself in great shape for competition, as well as general health. Black Belt Living also helps you get more in touch with yourself and your higher power (God, Spirit, Allah, Buddha, etc. whatever name you choose) through the Principles in Action course. These courses are all designed to be short, simple and yet extremely precise and very effective.
These courses are the link between what you do in the dojo and what you do in life to become a successful, contributing member of the community and a person of high moral character. Just because you earn a Black Belt in the Martial Arts at someone’s school, does not mean that you are a Black Belt at living life. These courses change that. They will change you physically, mentally and spiritually. You’ll never see life the same again because your view of it will transform, grow and become so much more than it is now. You’ll give more to others because you’ll have more of you to give. You’ll achieve more because you’ll have created strategies to get you to your goals faster and with more precision. And you’ll feel better about, and more connected to, yourself because you’ll have become the person you always wanted to, both inside and out.
Take a look at the web site, www.BlackBeltLiving.com and see if there is anything you have questions about. Then call me or send an e-mail so we can discuss it.
Talk to you soon,
Coach John Kyle
