Indomitable Spirit...The Force Behind Success

What a great fun(d)raising weekend. The UMAC Kick-A-Thon and Concert For A Cure were a great success, raising over $20,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Thank you to all who participated as students, parents, helpers, donors, and everyone who contributed to raise money for LLS and show UMAC your support and spirit.

Spirit is a big part of Taekwondo

Taekwondo is the embodiment of Body, Mind, and Spirit. Training in the Martial Arts develops your body and mind to think, focus, and prepare to fight or...flight. Knowing when to fight or run is important and no one should be ashamed of backing down when it is the smart and right thing to do. It is not an expectation to win every fight or succeed on the first try...in Taekwondo or in life.

Learning to overcome challenges, to not give up, to have the courage to try again, to have the confidence that you will succeed in the face of fear or failure, helps develop an indomitable spirit. But it’s not just persevering...it is rising above one’s self or expectations.

Indomitable spirit makes you...YOU! It is part of what makes you YOUNIQUE! It’s the internal force that provides hope, strength, courage to get up and face the world each day with a smile. This is the foundation of perseverance for a lifetime. This is living a Black Belt life.

Can you smile when in trouble? 
Do you gather strength from distress?
Can you find the positive in a negative situation?

Before we began our kickathon, I told this story about one of my students who at the time was only 4-years-old (now a senior in high school). Back then, we weren’t as smart, and our students performed all 1000 kicks at the event. This made for some really tired students...and some very upset parents. Anyway, young Caleb is kicking away, kicking, kicking, and he’s well on his way to doing 1000 kicks. And many of the students are getting tired and resting. I see Caleb is getting tired and I tell him he can stop and rest. And Caleb says to me, “I can’t stop, this is for the kids!” Now that is indomitable spirit...from a 4-year-old! 

Caleb had a goal and challenge, he would not give up, and he had the confidence to succeed. He rose above his expectations.

Since then we have gotten smarter and UMAC students train by performing way more than 500 kicks in class and then complete 500 kicks at the kickathon. Training teaches proper technique and form. It builds confidence, perseverance, and...indomitable spirit.

Do you have Indomitable Spirit? May the Force be with YOU!

Look for my weekly blog every Monday providing insights on "Living a Black Belt Life". Please share this with your friends and family and stop in to see our school.