Keeping you motivated

[terryl965]

I was just wondering what helps you to stay motivated to keep training, beside the ever popular because I love it. I am in the catagory of trying to become what I was before all my illness and that journey may take a lifetime and then some. what is yor reason?

 

[ShelleyK]

Hi Terry!

My motivation is that THIS is what I have been wanting to do since before I even started Kindergarten! Knowing that I can finally achieve a lifetime dream is motivation enough for me!
Other aspects that keep me motivated is that with the arthritis that I have....TKD is helping me keep my limbs limber, its helping to keep me healthier than I have ever been and TKD is something that I can share with my daughter...watching her her progress is VERY motivational for me!

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I don't like throwing away effort. Every week I spend not doing MA is like telling two months of hard effort to go away, I don't want you anymore, I was just fooling around, wasting my time.

I don't like that thought, so I keep going. I refuse to have wasted the last two years of effort.

 

[Manny]

With my ups and downs I can tell you that motivation is something I am high on and soemtimes I am down on, but my motivation to keep going in TKD is my hunger of knowledge in the self defense aplication of TKD, The right aplication of the technike and the learning of new technikes is waht keeps me on.
Also the sharing of this knowledge is waht keep me high on TKD, I really like to teach the little things I know to the rest of the class.

So basically the improvement of my techs,poomsae,one steps sparrings and self defense is waht motivates me to keep going and to teach what I know too.

Manny

 

[jthomas1600]

My age is partly a motivating factor for me. All my life I've wanted to be a fighter/martial artist and have some athletic accomplishments. Up until this point I've just been marginally involved off and on in a few different things (a little karate and some boxing in my 20's, some BJJ in my 30's) and now that I'm in my 40's I realize it's kind of now or never. I know one can (and I plan on it) be involve in martial arts well into their retirement years, but as far as competing and excelling goes your physical skills just start to deteriorate so much once you pass your mid 40's.

Also, my kids motivate me. The three at home are 11, 13, and 15. They are all involved in TKD and other athletic endeavors and I want to do these things with them and set a good example.

 

[ATC]

My kids keep me motivated. I can't let them have the upper hand just yet. In their eyes, dad is still super. Although they are starting to see that I cannot do soem of the things they do. Like keep up with them on long runs, or do full spits, or anything else related to endurance and flexibilty.

 

[dancingalone]

My kids keep me motivated. I can't let them have the upper hand just yet. In their eyes, dad is still super. Although they are starting to see that I cannot do soem of the things they do. Like keep up with them on long runs, or do full spits, or anything else related to endurance and flexibilty.

I echo this but I substitute students for 'my kids'.

 

[StudentCarl]

When I started in 1979, Taekwondo provided structure and purpose to a 16 year old who needed both. After almost two years I left the school for college and then the military, though I was changed by TKD.

Returning after 30 years, it's like I've come home, but at a different place in my life. Started over as a white belt, but wiser for the life experience. I have to be more patient and persistent in extending my abilities at 47, as everything is more challenging than 30 years ago. I'm in it for me, but the other, all younger, students inspire me, but I sometimes set the bar for them by my energy, effort, and hopefully humility... so the youngsters see that adults can be dedicated students too.

My son, at 16, is quicker and faster than I am, but he's mentioned to others that my work ethic and dedication inspire him. It's an extra joy sharing that time with him.

It feels like every day I do Taekwondo I improve, even if the progress isn't measurable so much as building skill and momentum. I left Taekwondo once...and it won't happen again.

Carl

 

[IcemanSK]

I've been doing this a long time. It's sometimes hard to keep motivated, honestly. I've had many times when plateaus, burn out, or injuries have made it tough to work really hard. I've used rewards (buying new gear etc), watching movies, music, or old fights to get me going again. One of my most recent motivator was the Kukkiwon Instructors Course in Chicago. Meeting & training with a few of you wonderful MT made the weekend all worth it & was a big boost for me.

I had a conversation with an old friend a few months back. He ran a TKD school in a place where I used to box 10 years ago. He had two grade school-age sons who were there every day training hard. Good kids, talented MA-ists & good students. Their dad told me that he used to use me as an example to them. He told me that he would tell his boys, "Mr. Jensen is here 4-5 days a week. He trains hard every day. You can be like that, too." Ten years later, his oldest is a cadet at West Point! His dad says that those boys still speak of how my work ethic inspires them.

I don't tell that last story to toot my own horn, but to make the point that you never know who you might be motivating or inspiring just by showing up.

Use whatever works to get your butt back in the dojang. Lord knows that it ain't always easy.

 

[jim777]

... you never know who you might be motivating or inspiring just by showing up...

Truest thing I've read in a month