The following is an essay written by one of my Black Belts whos now a senior in High School. This is a good one for all parents to read! In fifth grade I began taking Tae-Kwon-Do lessons. I loved it and got the hang of it a lot quicker than most other students. I really enjoyed the competition aspect of it and eventually even joined the demonstration team, which would go to different town events and schools and demonstrate routines showcasing our talent and attempting to interest others in joining. It was great and during my time there I competed quite a bit. I even won first place in my division at the Texas Open competition. However, it was not always easy and I was not always motivated to go to class, or even finish my Black Belt, especially towards the end. In seventh grade, right around when I was going for my Black Belt, I began football and after football practice, nearly every day, I had Tae-Kwon-Do practice. It was tough and it took up all of mine, my dad’s, and my sisters free time during the week and most weekends. However, my dad was always there for us. He was my greatest resource for success. Following my parents’ divorce he was always there to motivate me to go to both practices and to finish it out. My hatred of going grew and I was very verbal about it, until one day, right before practice, my dad took me outside, “You know why I won’t let you quit?” he asked very sternly. He followed up before I could even think of an answer, “Because this became your responsibility the day you joined. Not even that, this isn’t just about you. There are other people here who are counting on you, who believed in you enough to sponsor you to train here and compete in all these tournaments you go to.” Very confused I asked him what he was talking about, he continued to explain how because we couldn’t afford the program my sister and I were in, there was a way other families could sponsor us to continue training, because they believed that we could do great things there. I had never heard about this before, and it really hit me hard. I was nearly silent for the rest of the night. Those words were in my mind almost all the time for the next six months. Every weekday for the next six months the Tae-Kwon-Do gym was where you could find us. We would leave to eat subway and then run back for more practice. It was tough and extremely time consuming, but I dug deep in myself and used all my skills available to eventually turn my mindset about Tae-Kwon-Do and life, upside down. I used every drop of responsibility and self-discipline to push through and earn my Black Belt. The day I was finally able to dawn that belt upon my waste was one of the best days of my life. Earning that belt and seeing it on my hips for the first time is one of my fondest memories; however, I never would’ve accomplished it without the self-discipline and motivation given to me by my father. These events brought along a major change in my life. I finally understood responsibility and what it truly means to finish something out. I learned that sometimes the only thing stopping you is yourself and your own mind. I learned true dedication, and I’ve carried this knowledge through whole life since. Those six months working towards my Black Belt have shaped my life in ways I never could’ve imagined.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 15:15:08 +0000
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