Why getting paid for Taekwondo was one of the worst things that happened to me…

Ok, so not the WORST thing that’s ever happened to me..

HOWEVER,

It did take something away from me that I did not expect.

My love for just doing Taekwondo.

As a student, all I wanted to do was learn and practice during classes… even at home!

I was so excited when the Master asked me to join the teaching team, and even MORE excited to be paid to do what I loved!

It only took a few days to realize I didn’t practice as much as I used to…

I had heard that Chefs don’t like to cook on their own…

Photographers don’t like to take personal photographs…

Musicians don’t sing willy-nilly…

…Well, not EVERY musician.

Not every chef.

Not every photographer.

I needed to figure out how to fall back in love with Taekwondo, as a professional…

I felt burnt out many times over the months and years.

Until I discovered my impact on my fellow practitioners.

It was the first practitioners who I had taught and trained with since white belt, who changed my perspective.

When these first practitioners tested for the blackbelt, and passed… I saw that achievement reflected in their eyes and their proud looks.

I saw my own purpose and my own achievement in their pride.

In between the black belt exams, I would again feel the sense of burnout coming… the sense of imposter syndrome would creep in.

Now I look at each day on the mats as it comes.

How is their Poomsae… TODAY?

Did it improve from the last hour of training?

GOOD.

How is their roundhouse kick today?

Did it improve during the training? Did they gain some insight they hadn’t had before?

GOOD.

All I need to do is to impact one student each day to feel a sense of accomplishment.

One smile.

One run-through a pattern without mistakes.

One strong and well-balanced kick.

The list goes on!

Money only motivates for so long, and it’s always a shorter time than you think.

We have to dig a little deeper to find something REAL to cling on to.

Because the battle must be fought anew each day.

The wolf is always scratchin’ at the door.

Train hard, and see you on the mats.👊🏻