As a martial arts instructor, I truly believe that I have the best job in the world. I get to practice an art that I love and help others not just learn martial arts, but become Stronger & more Confident people through it.
I remember very clearly when I first thought of making martial arts my career. I was 16 and about to head into my Junior year. I’d been working part-time for my instructor for about a year at that point. When I was first hired, I thought, “Cool, this is better than working at Market Basket!” But overtime I really fell in love with the work. At that time, I wasn’t clear on what I “wanted to be when I grew up.” But on that Saturday morning in August, something clicked “Hey, I could do this.”
That night, I was driving with my dad and mentioned the idea. “That’s a good idea. You should look into it more.” Looking back in hindsight, it could have been easy for him to think, “Karate instructor? I want my son to have a real job!” But he didn’t. Instead, he encouraged me to pursue this idea that became a passion and a calling.
A couple of weeks later, I told my instructor, Mr. Peacock, my idea. “That’s awesome, Jed! I will support you 100% in this.” His ego or pride could have gotten in the way. He could have been intimidated and wanted to avoid competition. But he didn’t. Instead, he encouraged me and inspired me to keep going down that path.
And as they say, “The rest is history.” This story reminds me of the power that an encouraging word can have. I had a dream that was a small ember, and my dad & instructor fanned it into a roaring fire.
One of my all time favorite quotes comes from an anonymous 6 year old: “My teacher believed I could, so I could.” Our team at Determined Martial Arts truly believe in the long-lasting effects of an encouraging word. “You got this,” “I believe in you,” or as my dad told me, “you should look into that.”
As instructors at Determined Martial Arts, we strive to remember this whenever we step out on the mats: An encouraging word has the potential to change someone’s life.
