How to Achieve more in 2013

   Happy New Year everyone… There are two directions you can go this year. One is positive and the other is negative, so what is your choice. At the end of 2013 what way will you have chosen? You say positive…I thought so… or you would not even be reading this right now.

      The first step is always a definite chief aim at your goal. What level will you be at the end of the year? To start with we all need to know the goal setting dance. Which is - Know what you want, take action, daily habits towards your goal, be willing to do what’s necessary, with the attitude of gratitude and remember to enjoy the journey.

     When you know where it is you want to get to you will need a map to get you there. Anthony Robbins uses the acronym - M.A.P. which is a “massive action plan” 

  

    Your plan must include the goal of course, plus what you have to do to get it as well as things you need to do (like train 2-3 times a week) that can be broken down even further to 1% improvements everyday towards your goal. You cannot fail to reach your goal unless you quit. Everyone knows that winners never quit and quitters never win.

           

     As martial artists we must break our training down to four (4) 10 -12 week cycles throughout a training year. This puts a time limit on reaching our goal(s). You will be amazed at what you can achieve in this short time. The natural breaks your academy does on holidays allows the necessary time for your body to heal between cycles. When you break your large goal(s) into daily habits you choose to always take action over procrastination and being an eager student or instructor of life puts positive energy in to the growth of your academy.

           
      When your goals are… “out of sight then they are out of mind!”.  Write it down and keep it with you!   When I say I want to lose 20 pounds this year it seems like a lot but when I tell myself that it’s less than 2 lbs a month or a ½ of a pound a week, I know I can do that. When you look at your goal card daily it reminds you to just do 1% a day and you will be successful. 

   Have a Happy and Successful 2013!

Respectfully, 

Chris Rowe

THE PATH TO MASTERY

BEING A MASTER MEANS FIRST BECOMING A MASTER STUDENT.

Being a Master means first becoming a Master Student.  You must learn constantly or you will stop growing.  True master instructors are the ones who are consistently growing, changing and re-inventing themselves.

Mastery means regularly challenging your beliefs, questioning methods and adjusting accordingly to your approach in training Tae Kwon-Do

Mastery is working on mastering your own life.  This is simply laid out in Tae Kwon-Do, by mastering the Tenants; Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control and Indomitable Spirit.  Easily said, challenging to live by.

You are on the path; you are looking for ideas in which to improve yourself.  It is the very reason you are honoring our Academy by your presence.

The Academy is a place where the methods are questioned, and the process brought out into the light of day.  The master sleeps within you ready to be awakened!

Finally you have to let go of your ego!  Your ego will hold you back from walking the path to mastery.  Your ego is what says, "Yes I know that.  I have tried that it didn't work for me." It may not have worked a year ago but maybe now is the time?  We have a saying, it is not what I know it is what I do with what I know!  As students and teachers we can only share information.  It is up to you to take the Action!

Knowledge in my Mind

At  Quest Martial Arts November first marks the beginning of the last full six week training cycle until after the Christmas break. This month, we as instructors want to make sure that you understand these four important lessons so that you are finishing strong rather than looking to coast into the finish line. Start by using this lesson first:

Six by six goal setting – This is adapted from Bill Hybels a Senior Pastor of Willow Creek, who runs a Leadership Summit every year.  This is picking six small goals that you will achieve in six weeks or sooner. They have got to be SMART, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic for you and time oriented. Could you lose 5 -10 unwanted pounds by Christmas? What about measuring your centre split and improving by an inch or two. Just 6 small improvements will be the best gifts you can give your self. The confidence this will give you will start your 2013 training with a roar.

Eat the frog – Do the thing that feels the worst for you to do first. This means if you ate a giant frog first thing in the morning everything else would be easy. What’s the first thing you need to get done?

Know these numbers – 168, 24, and 1440. They stand for 168 hours in a week.  24 hours in a day and one thousand four hundred and forty minutes in each day they are for you to use as you please. But once they are gone, they are gone forever. We ask our students for 2 hours a week out of the 168 to work on themselves.  The saying Do it now, do it right and do it all, applies here!

We can only take our memories – No amount of material wealth can buy an extension on life. No matter the amount of money in the bank on the day you pass to whatever you believe is next; you’ll be leaving it all. In this respect the passing of a king or an animal is the same. Live life for this day, treat every person you meet with the respect that they deserve. You will be creating great memories which are the real treasure you will have for the rest of your life.

Respectfully, 

Chris Rowe

2012 Trail Championships

      This past weekend Quest Martial Arts took a group of players down to Trail BC for the 2nd Annual Trail Championships hosted by Trail Martial Arts and sanctioned by TKDI Canada.  In Attendance was Master Dan Zaleski 8th Dan Black Belt and President of TKDI Canada, along with schools from Camrose, Calgary, Cranbrook, Chilliwack, Kamloops and of course Kelowna.

      It is a great tournament that allows players and parents to learn about tournaments without being over whelming.  These types of tournaments are always fun and very safe for the players.  It featured, Individual Sparring, Patterns, Team Sparring and the Flying Side Kick.

    Quest Martial Arts was represented by a strong group of 17 players many of whom were double medal winners, and in the case of Aaron Graham a triple medal winner finishing tied for first in the Flying Side kick. Also Carson Benedict won 4 Gold Medals, in Colour belt patterns, Sparring, Team Sparring as well as Black belt light weight sparring although he is not yet ranked a black belt.  Carson is one of 2 competitors from this weekend who will be travelling to Cracow Poland to compete in the Taekwondo International European Championships on October 26th.  The other being Jon Zaleksi who won gold in Black Belt patterns and Heavywieght Sparring as well as silver for Team Sparring.  Mr. Zaleski is looking forward to having another shot at Steve Miller from the USA in Cracow.  Mr Miller holds two victories over Mr. Zaleksi in the past 2 meetings.

5 P's for Success

Watched a great video from Les Brown this morning, and in this video he talked about the 5 P’s.

Purpose – Why are you here?  What is your real purpose, not the surface stuff but really why do you want to do what you do?  Drill down and continue to ask what else?  The last thing any of us want to is reach the end of the race and know we could have done more.  So that you don’t leave this planet with any “I wish I could have…”

Persistence – Daily habits towards your goal, you have to keep striving for your higher purpose. To do that read 10-15 pages of positive material a day, listen to positive speakers while you do other things, every day!

                I will assume you have heard of MacDonald’s, Subway, or Pizza hut…they know you have heard about them yet they continue to advertise so that they affect your thinking.  It is the same way with positive and motivational material.  Let it permeate your day.  I was at breakfast with some friends and we started talking about time, there is not enough in a day.  We often say that as we sit in front of the TV for the 4^th episode of Big Bang Theory, or while staying in bed pressing the snooze button for the 4^th time.  As I write this I am listening to Anthony Robins speak on TED.com…love this stuff!

Passion – Share your passion with others, don’t hold it in and hide it like a candle under cover.  Let that light shine and fill the room, because I believe that is part of what we are called to do.  I love listening to people who are just on fire for their belief, or goal or company.  It is awesome!  Have you ever gone to a seminar and the key note speak motivated you to get out of the room?  I challenge you to listen to Les Brown or Anthony Robins and not want to go and walk on fire!

People – Who is the greatest Hockey player on the planet right now? Or the greatest golfer?  These great athletes still surround themselves with people who will help them to achieve their goal of being the best at their craft. “You don’t climb the high mountain alone.” – Master Zaleksi, and it is always more fun at a party that has more than 1 person.  Surround yourself with people that love and care about you, but also people who will tell you what you NEED to hear not just WANT to hear.

Perseverance – Les Brown’s famous line sums it all up “if you get knocked down try and land on your back, because if you can look up you can get up.”  However too many of allow the hard times create fear, which then over runs our desire to achieve our goal. 

                                                                                Respectfully,

                                                                                                Chris Rowe ~ Quest Martial Arts

The Higher Faculties of the Mind

Higher Faculties of the Mind     

At Quest Martial Arts we talk about the five senses sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste as our antennas or receptors for getting information that we perceive from our world.  There are also other senses that masters’ use called higher faculties of the mind. 

The word “Education” comes from the Latin word “Educo” which means to educe, develop or to draw from within. An educated person is a person who has so developed the faculties of their mind that they can acquire anything they want or its equivalent without violating the rights of others.

The first of the higher faculties is Perception- This gives us our point of view.  It is conditioned by the way you have been taught in life and which you believe to be the truth.  The incredible thing about perception is we can alter it by choice and our whole world can change for the better. 

Second is Reason- it is the power to use our conscious mind to choose what we believe.  We become what we think about.

 Third is The Will - willpower is the ability to hold on to one positive idea without becoming distracted by a negative thought or distraction. We use this to stay mentally focused on our goal regardless of our current circumstance or situation.

The fourth faculty is Memory- Have you ever heard or said “I have a bad memory?” I think most of us would admit having said or heard that at least once in our lives.  The truth is that there are no bad memories just untrained ones. Work your memory like any other muscle. You use it or lose it.

The fifth faculty is Imagination- As little children we used this all the time until one day some well meaning adult or significant teacher in our lives told us to stop daydreaming.  It seems that the older we get the more we filter incoming words and ignore the 90% or more of unspoken communication.  When you put creative thought to work in your mind and become an imaginer you can create your dream life in your mind.  Hold on to that thought with willpower and manifest what you want into your material life.

4 week Self Defence Program

You can Protect Yourself!

Quest Martial Arts will be running a COVAR Defense program.  This will be a 4 week program which will allow the student to continue to improve not only their physical skills, but also their ability to process and deal with the emotional stress brought on during a self defence situation.

This program is a highly specialized self-defense program that teaches participants to successfully defend against an assailant of any size.  It is based on the idea that learning is best accomplished by “doing” . In all of our programs, you’ll work with a highly instructors who will create safe, yet powerful scenarios and role plays designed to help you  experience the “rush” of self-defense and personal power without the danger or the consequence.

All courses are taught by train instructors who know how to deal with the physical and emotional process of an escalating confrontation.

You are worthy of defending

Learn simple, effective self-defense and prevention skills through C.O.V.A.R.  Defense program.  These are techniques any person, regardless of age or fitness level, can learn.

Practice in a safe environment.  The instructor teaches and demonstrates all the techniques and coaches students while they practice.  For classes involving strikes, the instructors wear padded armour and are trained to allow you to hit and kick with full force.

What will I learn?

     The step-by-step process of developing skills and confidence.  By the end of the course, students have repeatedly used their skills to assess danger, set boundaries, and respond effectively to verbal and physical attacks.

What Canvas

     Every September when the kids go back to school, as a parent there is a sense of a new beginning, an empty canvas, a clean slate, unlimited potential for the future for what they can do this coming year.  Despite what may have happened last year, the lessons learned the trouble that was encountered.  This year can be something amazing.

               

     It is the same for us as adults, whenever we choose to make it a new season we just have to first decide, and then take action.  We need to decide what we want to change and then also why we want to change it.  Without a strong “Why” the “What” will almost always stay the same.  There will not be enough excitement or enthusiasm to overcome the challenges that we will be faced with along this new path.

     A couple of key things to remember when undergoing any sort of change are that;

     You are meant to be great!  Whether we think you were created that way or evolved to be driven towards greatness is neither here nor there, the fact of the matter is You are great, and have unlimited potential to have, be or create so many amazing things.

   You have all of the tools right inside you! There is nothing outside of yourself that is required to be great, you have it all, you just need to unleash the desire.  It all begins with the one step followed by another.

     You have unlimited potential to learn! Often times people will say (myself included) “There is not enough time!” As the sleep in another 30 minutes, watch another episode of The Big Bang Theory, or yet another run of the Sports highlights to see if there was anything different that happened during the game you just finished watching.  Apply more energy on what you really want and it will come to you.

     

     These ideas are not new, and I am sure that you are saying to yourself, “I know that”…but let me say this…It is not what you know, but what you do with what you know.

     

     At Quest Martial Arts we talk about these ideas during every class.  It is what we affectionately call “The Mat Chat” and it is applied to our Little Ninjas (4-7 years of age) and Adults students alike. 

   If you would like more information please give us a call 250-869-0111

   Respectfully, 

   Chris Rowe

Mindset for mastery in Tae Kwon-Do and Life.

      Everything that you are about to read and learn is based on timeless principles. Please know that I respect your intelligence to much too just tell you that these principles work and then just expect you to believe me. The only proof that they work will be the results you will receive if you use them.

     The first principle to understand is that the universe is an abundant place that works whether we are aware of these principles or not. These principles can be used for good if you become consciously aware of them or may work against you if you are ignorant of them. For example think of universal Ki energy like a river that flows continuously, you may use a boat to flow down the river to where you want to go very quickly and safely or you may just jump in and drown. The “river” doesn’t care if you are a positive person or a negative thinker if you ignore the rule of water and don’t float or swim you will go under. It just is… “It’s not what we know, but what we do with what we know” that counts.

     The second principle is that our own beliefs become our limitations. These principles work even if you think you are too young or to old, to thin or to fat, your religion or nationality holds you back or whether you are a male or a female. The principles are neutral and we direct them through our own minds…”If it is to be it is up to me.”

     The third principle is to know the difference of right thinking, positive thinking and negative thinking. Right thinking is based on truth and not illusion, positive and negative thinking is filtered through your belief system. Right thinking is being aware of the reality and truth of any situation.

     The forth principle is that the truth sets us free. It’s not a matter of being positive or negative, but of simply just being yourself. Which means you are allowing your higher self to reveal the truth in every situation that you are involved with to resolve it self perfectly. This may sound magical, but I can assure you that it is only the principle law of cause and effect in action.

     All of the great master’s since the beginning of time have tried to awaken us to the fact that we create our own reality. More importantly, that we are responsible for everything that happens in our lives. This includes the good, the bad and the ugly. When you understand that your outer world is a reproduction of your inner 

world it will cause you to look at yourself in new ways.

     Just know that no amount of determination, will power, inspiration or motivation will solve our problems if we look outside of our selves for the answer.

The Action Habit

The ability to master this one habit is greater than intelligence, talent, and abilities in determining your advancement through to the ranks of master in Tae Kwon-Do. The action habit is putting ideas into action now, and this is essential to get things done. These ideas will help you if you’re not already doing them.

      * Conditions will never be perfect – If you wait to start until conditions are perfect, you probably never will. There will always be something that isn’t quite right. We’ve heard the excuses before…it’s not the right time, there is too much competition or the economy isn’t very good at this moment. The economy is between your ears. (Meaning that what you think about you bring about). In the reality there is no perfect time to start. You have to take action and deal with challenges for your own growth as they arise.

      * Do it now- if you want to get to your next level in whatever you desire, practice doing things rather than just thinking about them, Do it today. The longer an idea sits in your head without being acted on, the weaker it becomes. After a few days the details get hazy. After a week it’s forgotten completely. When you do it now, do it right and do it all you’ll get more done and at the same time stimulate new ideas.

      *  Ideas alone don’t bring success- Of course they are important, but only after you have taken action! Just an average idea that’s been put into action is more effective than the big idea that you’re saving for “someday”. If you have an idea, then do something about it. Take action or it will perish in your mind. Someday is in the land of nowhere.

      * Action cures fear – Have you ever noticed that the most difficult part of competition (if you have ever competed) is waiting for your turn to compete? Even masters including myself have felt the pre-performance anxiety. But once you get started the fear disappears. Action is the best cure for fear. You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith.


     Respectfully, 


                   Master Zaleski

Personal Self Mastery

Personal Self Mastery

       Practising the “Kaizen” of Personal Self Mastery means that you are committed to the continuous improvement of everything you do, in all areas of your life.

     Self-discipline, then, is not an act of controlling and punishing yourself, but is motivated by self-love. When we do what we know is best for us by choice we are using the tool of self discipline (also known as personal power) to create self mastery. The acronym C.A.N.I., made famous by Tony Robbins means Constant And Never-ending Improvement.

     Every one of us has a part within us that will guide us through our inborn higher faculties of our minds to create personal self mastery and a better life for ourselves as well as those around us. In Tae Kwon-Do we quickly realize that when we start to improve in one area, (our training for example) we have to improve our water intake and nutrition and/or stop eating and drinking certain things.

     The start of self mastery in TKD begins with faith. Meaning - believe in yourself, before you see the results you want.

     As your personal power grows, you naturally take the driver’s seat to your destiny. This includes assuming complete and full responsibility for the direction your life is headed. You realize that you can create anything you want, within your circle of influence, and according to your skills, talents and competence. Some say this takes self-discipline. I like the term personal power, and the willingness to make a choice. Real power comes from listening to the stirring of your higher self. To become who we are meant to be means living in harmony with the mysterious heartbeat of life itself. Unfolding your potential can not be made to happen from the level of ego, it can only be supported by creating the right mental conditions.

     In the end, Personal Mastery is the journey of tapping your full potential as a human being – through being the leader of your life, and by co-creating with the spirit that runs through us all. Enjoy the journey!

                                                                       Respectfully,
                                                                                Master Dan Zaleski

5 New Black Belts!

For 5 students at Quest Martial Arts Academy it was the realization of many years of hard work, dedication and self-discipline, they have achieved their First degree black belt in Tae Kwon-Do.  Catherine Johnson, Lisa Nishi, Pam Horton, TaeJin Sohn and Wendy Desrosiers all received their Black belts at Quest Martial Arts.  The 5 where joined by Loren Kuich 2008 & 2010 member of Canadian Team, and Donald Godon also a member of the 2010 Team Canada as the newest 2^nd Dan black belts as well as Eric Koch member of the 2010 Team Canada, now a 3^rd Dan Black belt.

            Achieving your black belt is only something that a maybe 1 out of 100 people might do.  Many 

people  start the journey, but it is hard and lined with opportunity for personal growth, and not many people 

can take that type of action.  These 8 individuals have received something more important than a belt or a 

certificate, they have received the gift of knowing what they are capable of when they truly focus their mind.

Congratulations Everyone!

Respectfully,

Chris Rowe
Chief Instructor
Quest Martial Arts Inc.

Running Tips for Safety

    While the weather is finally getting warmer, I have seen alot of people out running and walking the Mission Park Greenway here in Kelowna.  As one of those people out running, it always suprises me how unaware some people seem to be.  At Quest Martial Arts we talk about the ABC's of self defence. 

A) There are no rules - use anything you have to defend yourself, car keys, rocks sticks...the normal rules that we live by go out the window when you are dealing with your own personal saftey.  Even going as far as through a rock through a car or house window.

B) Be aware of your suroundings and people who may be around. Your intuition can save your life if we listen to it.

C) Stay in shape, most self defence situations will last for 30 sec. to 1 minute, under adrenaline stress so.  Unlike just going for a 1 minute run, it is more like running full sprint with a bear chasing you...

Here is a top 10 list of things to be aware of while you are out enjoying the sunshine and nature we are so blessed to be living in;

1) Always be aware of the trail, and things that obscure your view.  Trees, corners and blind spots can all be great hiding places for someone to jump out at you.

2) Let someone kow where you are going and when you expect to return.  Sounds simple enough but most of us over look it.  Any kind of trouble whether it comes from an injury or something worse, you have a back up plan.

3) Stay alert while running avoid wearing both earbuds while running.  While it helps to distract the mind from discomfort of running, it also stop syou from hearing if someone is coming up from behind you.

4) Ladies with long hair should avoid having it in a ponytail that is accessable for someone to grab.  Have it tucked into your swaeter or shirt if possible. 

5) Keep your cell phone with you and easily accessable at all times.  In case you begin to get the feeling that something is not right, you can quickly make a phone call. 

6) If you are approached, remain as calm as possible.  More often than not the person approaching has no intention of doing anything they may just be asking a question.  That being said always be aware of their tone, body lanuage and movements. 

7) Communicate effectively - Be assertive with your tone and body langauge but do not come across as uncaring or errogant.  If asked for change, "No I am sorry I don't but have a great day." "Back off I don't want any trouble..."  Being loud not only alerts anyone else who maybe around that there is trouble, but it will also help with controlling your emotions.

8) Keep your open hands in front of your face to avoid being sucker punched.

9) Become offensive and attack.  Knees and elbows are the best techniques, highly effective and a larger margin for error.

10) At a bare minimum you should be taking a self defence class/seminar every couple of months so that you keep the movments fresh in your mind and body. 

Happy Running!

Chris Rowe

Local Martial Artists Kick it Up

    Approximately 170 martial artists from BC and Alberta competed at the Tae Kwon-Do International Western Canadian Championships this past weekend. Fifty competitors from Kelowna’s own Quest Martial Arts Academy took home 40 medals including Jon Zaleski who captured the Grand Championship for sparring and patterns in the Black belt Division. Mr. Zaleski and several other members of Quest Martial Arts are training hard for the World Championships to be held in 2013 in England.

    “Although most of the competitors were Tae Kwon-Do, both WTF and ITF were represented, we were honored to have Chilliwack Central Karate Club which has been traveling to competing at our Okanagan events for the past 5 years.” says Mr. Chris Rowe Chief Instructor of Quest Martial Arts. Mr. Rowe went on to say that, “Next year we are planning a Canadian Championships to be held here in Kelowna which will not only bring some great competition but also will help to continue to grow the tourism in the Okanagan Valley.”

    This sentiment was echoed by Tae Kwon-Do International Canada President Master Dan Zaleksi 8th degree Black belt who was also in attendance to cheer on the players and continues to grow and spread the true spirit of Tae Kwon-Do, along with one of the Pioneers of Tae Kwon-Do Grand Master C.K. Choi 9th degree black belt and Master Zaleksi instructor for the past 35 years. “To watch these two high ranking Master and Grand Master walk around and interact with kids and adults taking pictures and signing autographs was amazing to see. The impact these simple gestures can have on people will stay with them for years. Quest Martial Arts would also like to thank the Ron Cannan MP For Kelwona, Lake Country for supporting the event, and offering words of encouragement and support to competitors and volunteers.

For further information on this please call Chris Rowe at 250-869-0111

Be Happy Now

Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for the something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. All you have to do is know where you are going. The answers will come when you are ready to hear and learn them on their own accord. There is no way to happiness because being happy is the way.

We are never too old or to young to set new goals.

There are just these easy steps to follow:
Know what you want,
        Take action,
        Have daily habits towards your goal(s),
        Be willing to do what’s necessary
       With the attitude of gratitude and then
        Enjoy the journey because its going to appear in your life.

In Tae Kwon-Do we use the term intentional excellence. This is eliminating negative thinking on purpose by being aware, and focussing our thoughts by will power to choose positive thought. When you do this it produces more natural energy through your body to achieve goal setting results faster.

The development of true will power comes from the constant repetition of correct thought patterns. These thoughts are then accepted into our sub conscious minds and become our habits which are how we create stronger true will power.
It is important to remember that what the superior Tae Kwon-Do person seeks is within his or her  self. What the small person seeks is in others.

Respectfully,
                                                                                          Mr. Chris Rowe

The Road to becoming a Champion

    At Quest Martial Arts we are preparing for our upcoming Tournament the Tae Kwon-Do Inernational Canada Western Canadian Championships to be held Aptil 28th 2012 in Kelowna BC.  We will have players coming from all over to compete and test their skills against other martial artists.  When we do such events they are open tournaments, meaning anyone who wishes can come and play as long as they follow the rules of the game. 

    The thing that I always find interesting is how some people are so lucky?  They always seem to come out on top, score that last second point to win the sparring match or better yet score the first point to set the tempo. 

    Now maybe part of it is god given talent, not everyone can go out and be comfortable and confident while someone is through punches and kicks at them.  Even though it is not a full contact game, it is still not a comfortable feeling. 

    But the reality is that it is not luck...those who say it is are not there when those "Lucky Guys" are there hours after everyone else has left still working on techniques, patterns, conditioning or their flexability.  They are not there to see home many times they are training alone because so few people are truly dedicated to something they love that much. 

    Jim Fannin is a great speaker who I saw in Vancouver a couple of years ago, talks about knowing the S.C.O.R.E., for life (Great Book!) and basicly it is just that.  We can use it in any arena of life at this moment it is applying to being the best martial artists you can be. 
 
Self-Discipline  - Doing what you have to whether you feel like it or not.  The first step is controling your thoughts by keeping them positive, which generates a positive emotion thereby driving you to take positive actions towards the desired results.  You are in total control of your desitiny, you first just have to become aware of the fact that you are where you are because of choices you have made.  Harsh but true...I never chose to get into a car accident, I never chose to loose my job.  True but you choose how you want to respond to those outcomes.  The reality is there are very few things in this world we can truly control but ourselves.

Concentration - Focusing your mind on the end goal, having Laser Focus and being single minded.  That is why so many people start in martial arts to help with focus, and self-discipline.  These are traits that will help you to over come the ups and downs of training or life.  My sons volleyball coach Jon Rowe (no relation) was trying to get the kids to make changes to the way the pass the ball.  The results were mixed at best and frustration started to kick in.  Then he told them to trust the process it will get worse before it gets better, just concentrate on the end goal and be disciplined to the form and the results will Great Advice!

Optimisim - It is hard to walk around the world with rose coloured glasses on.  But it is a much happier place when we focus on looking for the positive.  The reality is whatever we focus on we get more of.  Have you ever noticed that when you make the deceision to buy a new red car...what do you see ever where?  New Red Cars, ust like the one you are wanting.  The same thing occurs in any area of life.

Relaxtion - Someitmes the best thing to do is to just take a minute and breath.  When sparring it is one of the hardest lessons for new students to really grasp.  Would you run the greatest sports car full out all of the time without giving it time to cool off, refuel or recharge?  Probably not, if your like me you would treat it with soft mittens.  So do the same things with yourself, when you get to that state where you feel tension it might be time to just take a minute and relax.  Jim Fannin says "Like a palm tree in a hurricane - just go with the flow"

Enjoyment - Make sure you are enjoying what you are doing in life.  When you are work enjoy being there by concentrating on that alone, so that when you go home and are with your family you can be there with your family.  Here at Quest Martial Arts we say "Enjoy the Journey!" 

   So our future champions will use these tools, sometimes even uncontiously to improve their training for the upcoming Tae Kwon-Do championships and if they are "Lucky" they may even bring home a few medals.  But the choice is ours, what are you willing to do in order to achieve your goal?  Have you stated your goal, in writting?  How can you achieve your goal unless you write it down...

Respectfully,

Chris Rowe
Cheif International Instructor
IV Dan Black Belt

Pink T-Shirt Day

    A few years ago some high schools students decided to take a stand. They were no longer going to stand by while one of their school mate was tormented for wearing a Pink T-Shirt to school. So they decided to get together with their friends and wear Pink T-Shirts in a movement of solidarity. The courage for those young men to stand up has inspired this movement that we now affectionately call Pink T-Shirt day, which occurs Wednesday February 29th.

     At our academy we talk about bully prevention on a weekly basis, we talk to kids and adults alike about what to do what to say and who to talk to if you are being miss-treated. Yes, we speak to the adults as well because we all know the person in the office who seems to bull their way into getting what the want. In the adult world it might be called office politics. We do not want to make waves so we let that person do or say things that we don't like. We are trying to keep the peace but it does not make it right so more often than not we let our feelings go untold so that we keep the peace.

     This is where the training we do in martial arts goes beyond punching and kicking. We learn to physically defend ourselves, so we are better equipped to mental defend ourselves. We stand up for those around us who are not able to stand up for themselves. We have courage to stand out in the crowd to help others, not to stand in the crowd afraid to help. It does not mean we do not have fear but we CHOOSE to focus on our courage rather than our fear. We choose to be the example of the community we wish to live in, rather than just complaining about where we live.

     One thing that we have changed at the academy with regards to Pink T-shirt day is our focus. We are trying not to focus on what we don't want but rather what we do want. (What we think about we bring about) We are focused on the fact that people who wear Pink on February 29th are not just standing up against bullies and injustice they are standing up to be recognized as a leader in their community. Whether the train in martial arts or not they are using the lessons of Courtesy - respect myself and others, Integrity - Honesty with myself and others, Perseverance - Patience Never Never Never give up, Self Control - Controlling your Thoughts emotions actions and results, and Self Discipline - Doing what we have to because it is for the greater good.

    You are invited to join us for Pink T-Shirt day on Wednesday February 29th kids and adults wearing Pink can train for free or come in wearing pink and receive a Gift Certificate for a free class, as well enter to win a MONTH of classes for free.  Kids train 4:00 pm, Adults 5:00 pm.

Respectfully,

Chris Rowe
Chief Instructor
Quest Martial Arts Academy
 250-869-0111

Willingness

You have most likely heard in class and I’m assuming from someone or somewhere that in order to succeed in life you must be “willing to do what’s necessary…with the attitude of gratitude”.

But just what does this entail? Willingness = cheerful compliance.

It means simply to act gladly and eagerly by free will to do what’s necessary. Your inner true master, your spirit within is always indeed willing, but the body is weak and we must be aware and awake to guide our bodies and mind.

When you guide your mind and body with your true master within things quickly get done, it’s a given, accepted, and you do it ungrudgingly.

The saying “Do it now, do it right and do it all” applies.

When we take this knowledge of willingness into our minds and understand that we receive a higher vibrational state (sometimes called peak state) into our hearts, we react through our bodies to create the result of openness – which is the readiness to receive, especially impressions or ideas that will come our way to help us to achieve our desires and goals. “Knowledge in my mind, honesty in my heart, strength in my body” is a message that every student should strive to know.

Next comes optimism – this is the intent and expectation to receive the best result. When you are open and willing to receive you give out optimism and attract optimistic people and circumstance into your life. By remembering that anything is possible and that circumstance does not create you, it is you who creates your circumstance you feel happy and positive. Keep these thoughts in mind.

o "The only thing I can control is my attitude towards life."
o "I always have a choice."
o "I choose to be positive in life."

When we choose to dwell on willingness it creates our natural energy to be open and optimistic in life and the result is we get a hopeful, happy and positive life view. This attracts the correct positive people and circumstance into your life.
                            
                                                                 Respectfully,
                                                                            Master Dan

COURAGE

To become a true master in Tae Kwon-Do one must have the courage to dream the dream and then take action.

Courage is the resistance of fear, the mastery of fear, not the absence of fear. It is the capacity for taking action despite your fear. You see fear and courage are brothers; fear has to be present for courage to exist.

All of our dreams can come true, if we just have the courage to pursue them and life shrinks or expands in proportion to our courage. When we use courage we can keep on going long after we think we can't. The light of courage brightens even your darkest moment.

Hope, faith and courage are often heard together but have very different meanings.

Hope is wishing something will happen. Faith believes something will happen. Courage is making

something happen. It's like a muscle; it is strengthened by use.

Courage is that one quality of mind and spirit that enables us to face difficulty, danger, and pain without fear.

To develop our courage is just a choice. Understanding that it gets stronger each time we choose to exercise it.

When we get the action signal of fear we need to feel it, accept it and at that moment choose to visualize a positive outcome.

The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do with courage. Life is death without adventure, adventure is nothing without risk. So if you do not risk you do not live life.

Respectfully,

Master Dan

Happy New Year!!!

   Happy New Year everyone… There are two directions you can go this year. One is positive and the other is negative, so what is your choice. At the end of 2012 what way will you have chosen? Positive…I thought so or you wouldn’t be here right now.  The first step is always a definite chief aim at your goal. What level will you be at the end of the year?

   To start with we all need to know the goal setting dance. Which is - Know what you want, take action, daily habits towards your goal, be willing to do what’s necessary, with the attitude of gratitude and remember to enjoy the journey.  (If you want to see the actual Dance stop by the Academy any time and I will show it to you personally!!)

   When you know where it is you want to get to you will need a map to get you there. We use the acronym - M.A.P. which is a “massive action plan” Your plan must include the goal of course, but it also should include what you have to do to get it as well as things you need to do (like train 2-3 times a week) that can be broken down to 1% improvements everyday towards your goal. You cannot fail to reach your goal unless you quit.

   As martial artists we must break our training down to four (4) 10 -12 week cycles throughout a training year. This puts a time limit on reaching our goal(s). You will be amazed at what you can achieve in this short time. The natural breaks allows the necessary time for your body to heal between cycles.  The same thing can be used in your work place.  Plan a mini vacation take and extra day off and get excited about that time for reflection and celebration of all that you have achieved up to that point.  When you break your large goal(s) into daily habits you choose to always take action over procrastination and being an eager student or instructor of life and put positive energy in to the growth of our academy.

    Fill out a Goal Sheet, make it into a business card that you can pin or keep anywhere. Look at the daily and reflect back to the reason WHY you wanted that goal in in the frist place.  If it was to lose weight why did you want to loose weight.  "I need to get healthier!' ~ "WHY do you need to get healthier?" "So that I can do more things." ~ "Like what? Be specific!"  When you can attach an emotion to the goal... I need to lose 20 lbs so that I do not develope heart disease like my father, so that I can spend more times being active with my family...those reasons add leverage to the goal.  You will be more likely to stay the path, even after you slip, it will power you to get back at it.  When you look at your goal card daily it reminds you to just do 1% a day and you will be successful.

If your goals are “out of sight then they are out of mind!”

                                                              Respectfully,
 
                                                                     Master Dan Zaleski