EARN 10x MORE: FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE STEPS

It’s that time of year again, the time for New Year’s resolutions. Rather than make some unrealistic proclamation that you know you’re going to forget about by February, why not set a real and achievable goal for yourself, and plan out the steps you will take to reach it?

A great way to help you make and maintain your resolutions is to set SMART goals. SMART is an acronym for the criteria you need to follow when setting and following you goals. It stands for Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Roadblocks, and Timetable.

First, Specific: you want to make your goals as specific as possible. The more detailed the better. Don’t just say you want to lose weight. Say how much weight you want to lose. Say how you’re going to lose it. How many times a week are you going to exercise? For how long? What diet changes are you doing to make? By being specific you not only give yourself a clear vision of you goal, you also lay out the steps you will take to achieve it.

You want to make sure your goal is Measureable. By this I mean you can look back and say definitively whether or not you achieved your goal. If your goal is to spend more time with family, it’s difficult to look back at the end of the year and say whether or not you achieved that. To make your goal more measureable, you might say, “I want to spend three extra hours with my family each week by having a family dinner every Sunday.” At the end of the month, it’s easy to say whether you did that or not. By making goals measureable you give yourself a tool to see if you are staying on track, and an opportunity to decide what to change if you are not.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when setting goals is being to general or by trying to achieve too large a goal all at once. This is how we become easily discouraged. You want to make sure your goals are Attainable, that they are really things you can achieve within the realm of possibility. That’s not to say you should limit yourself; quite the contrary. By setting attainable goals you are setting yourself up for success. For example, your goal for 2013 shouldn’t be getting your PHD if you never went to college. Getting your PHD could be a goal you eventually have, but there’s no way you’re going to achieve that right now. An attainable goal would be to get into a college degree program, or take the necessary exams to apply to a degree program. It’s easier to focus on smaller goals as a means to reaching an end goal than to try to achieve everything at once.

When you’re thinking about ways to keep your resolutions, you also want to consider the Roadblocks that will stand in your way. Consider what will be difficult about the task you have set yourself, not to talk yourself out of it, but to come up with ways around these roadblocks before they actually occur. If your goal is to run a half marathon, but you know you have trouble getting out of bed to go running before work, figure out a way to deal with that roadblock before the alarm is buzzing at 5:30 am, whether that’s running later in the day or buying an incredibly loud alarm clock that you keep on the other end of the room so the snooze button is out of reach. By preparing ahead of time, you’ll be able to deal with obstacles easily and continue on your path to success.

Lastly, you want to set a Timetable within which to complete your goal. This goes hand-in-hand with specificity. You have to put that pressure on yourself to act NOW, or nothing will ever get done. You want to take more vacations… when? In 10 years? When you’re retired? If you say instead I want to take another vacation by the end of the year, now you have a deadline for when to have your funds saved up and a reason to save those vacation days at work. Setting a timetable makes you accountable for taking action.

So when you’re watching the ball drop and thinking about what you want to be doing by the time 2014 rolls around, remember to make sure your resolutions are SMART.

Contributed by Solomon Brenner master instructor of Action Karate and author of Success Secrets of Black Belt Masters. For more info call 215.355.5003

SETTING SMART GOALS

Howard Hill was the greatest archer of all time. He won all the contests he entered. In fact he was so good at hitting the bulls eye with the first arrow, on his second shot he split the first one. Now I think you can beat Howard Hill. 

I know what you are thinking, "How is that possible? He is the best." Well there are a few conditions.  

1.) Have a good breakfast so you'll have energy. 

2.) A few archery lessons so you know the general idea. 

3.) Blindfold Howard Hill, spin him in circles and make sure he's facing the wrong way. 

I am confident you will win! Why? Because if Howard is blindfolded, he can't see the target! 

If you can't see the target you can't hit it. If you don't have a goal you can't achieve it. In class this month we will be working on SMART goals. Adults this is the month for you, goals can help you at home, work, and karate class. 

All new adults are FREE in January at Action Karate Newtown. Do something for yourself! 

GET OUT OF YOUR WAY

Zig Ziglar once said, “Man was designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness.”  I was at a martial arts seminar one time when the moderator asked, “What is your biggest frustration as a teacher?”  I was fascinated by the various answers; some I agreed with, others not. My answer was, “being able to see greatness in people and not being able to help them see it.”

As a teacher there is nothing more frustrating than seeing unrealized potential and untapped greatness. Inevitably it is the student that quits on themselves that makes me obsess for weeks. What did I say, what didn’t I say, and what could I have said to better serve this person? My years of teaching experience tell me it is always people getting in their own way. It is their self doubt, fear of failure, or even fear of success.

That may sound like an odd thing to be afraid of: success. After all, isn’t that what we are all after, no matter what our pursuits might be? We all want success. Sometimes, however, the thought of actually achieving what you want can be more daunting than the work it took to get there. Sometimes the thought of what to do next after you have accomplished the thing you have poured all your energies into for so long can be so intimidating that we subconsciously self sabotage.

Recognizing our own potential is the first and most essential step towards living it. If you set a goal for yourself but don’t actually believe you can achieve it, you have already given up. Belief in yourself is the foundation upon which you must build all of your endeavors. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else is going to believe in you.

Trees grow toward the sky because that is what trees are meant to do. Storm clouds drop rain across the land because that is what clouds do. Ralph Marston said it best about people: “In short, you are destined to achieve. Get your excuses, fears and doubts out of the way and allow that destiny to fully unfold. ” Think of your end goal as reality; it is what you are meant to do. It is as natural as tress growing or rain falling. Don’t allow room for even the slightest doubt.

How can you help your children to realize their full potential? The best thing you can do for them is to be a source of encouragement and support. Encourage them to try new things, especially if they are outside of their comfort zone. When they fail (or at least perceive that they have failed) point out all of the great elements of their attempt and help them improve in the areas where they are weak. Most of all, help them to have a positive attitude and believe that success is a part of their reality.

For example, say your child is doing poorly in math. For weeks he studies hard, does all the homework, and pays attention in class. After the next test his grades still haven’t improved. He thinks, “I’ll never be good at math.” That attitude alone could be what is keeping him from achieving his full potential. He must think “I am good at math,” before he has the slightest chance of actually being so.

It can be hard at times, but we have to remember to stay out of our own way. Believe that success is a part of your destiny and it will come to you.

Contributed by Master Instructor of Action Karate and Author Solomon Brenner- Black Belt Parenting. To set up speaking engagement please call 215.355.5003

WHO PACKS YOUR PARACHUTE?

Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important. We may fail to say hello, please, thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason.

Charles Plumb, a US Naval Academy graduate, was a jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience.

One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"

"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.

"I packed your parachute," the man replied.

Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man grabbed his hand and said, "I guess it worked!"

Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."

Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb kept wondering what the man might have looked like in a Navy uniform. He wondered how many times he might have seen him and not even said good morning, how are you or anything, because you see, he was a fighter pilot and the man was just a sailor.

Plumb thought of the many hours that sailor had spent in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he did not know.

Now Plumb asks his audience, "Who is packing your parachute?" Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day.

Plumb also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plane was shot down. As you go through your week, month, and year, recognize the people who have packed your parachute and enabled you to get where you are today!

Contributed by Solomon Brenner Author of Black Belt Parenting - "The Art of Raising Your Child for Success"

BACK TO SCHOOL TIME!

It’s that magical time of the year again—back to school—and you know what that means: back to bedtimes, homework, school supplies, and hectic schedules. But this time of the year doesn’t have to be scary for parents or kids. All it takes is a little summer preparation to ensure that the road back to school is smooth sailing.

            First thing’s first: remember all those summer mailings you got from your children’s school about book lists, school supplies, activities fees, and health concerns? Pull them out of the drawer and get organized. Mark any important upcoming events, like parent-teacher nights, on the calendar now so you don’t forget about them as things get busier. Make sure school has the forms they need before your kids head back, that way you can concentrate on making sure they are adjusting rather than worry about all the red tape.

            Schedules can get pretty hectic once school starts up again, so take advantage of the relaxed summer schedule while you still can to make any doctor or dentist appointments your child may need. You’ll want to make sure you find out any health issues sooner rather than later. Also, alert the school office as well as your child’s individual teachers about any health concerns, like asthma or food allergies, that could crop up while your child is in school.

            Start your school shopping early, that way if you aren’t able to conquer the entire school supply list at once—especially if you have multiple children—you give yourself enough time to get everything over a few weeks.  Some teachers require specific supplies, so save your receipts in case you need to return anything.

            Start getting your kids back into school habits about a week before school begins. This may mean going to bed and waking up earlier than they have been all summer. Get them in the habit of eating breakfast every morning if they don’t already; they will need that fuel to kick start their day once classes are back in session. Also consider limiting the amount of time they spend in front of the TV during certain hours in exchange for reading, puzzles, or games and activities that get their minds working, so that all those hours spent in class won’t be such a shock to the system.

If your child is starting at a new school this year, or maybe even just a new building, it is not a bad idea to let them know ahead of time of what they’ll be facing on the first day of school. Call the school and see if you are allowed to visit before term starts. You can help your child find his classroom, the lunchroom, his locker, the gym, the nurse’s office, and any other important landmarks he should know about.

If your child is really nervous about school it might even be a good idea to see if you can arrange a meeting with the teacher before classes begin, that way there will be at least one friendly face on the first day of school.

If your children, like most, aren’t too excited about the prospect of hitting the books again, there are a few small things you can do to motivate them. Avoid talking about homework or tests, and instead ask about the friends they’ll be seeing for the first time since June, or point out different things about them that their friends will notice, like a new haircut or how much they’ve grown. Even something as simple as a new backpack with their favorite cartoon character on it can make them excited to return to school.

Contributed by Solomon Brenner Author Black Belt Parenting "The Art of Raising Your Child for Success"

SPRING!

Ok, so I am a little behind on blogging, I apologize. But with everything going on at the studio can you blame me? Black Belt Spectacular is just a few short Saturdays away, Promotion night is this week, and I am officially Mr. O for the week, along with my regular job. But I am not complaining! I love being busy, it keeps me focused, and I tend to stay more organized and on track when I barely have time to think. Sometimes when you are idle you tend to be lazy and un-motivated. It is hard to get up and start a project when you have been sitting on the couch for two hours. Keeping busy is a great way to push the "lazy" mindset out of the window. Then, when you do have down time, let's say on a Sunday afternoon, you enjoy it so much more because you have earned it!

The studio is hopping with moms taking class this month, and there is such a new level of energy in Adult class that it is contagious! (Mr. C is also loving all the attention). I am very proud of these women who decided to stop watching and start doing something. Being active is the key to not only a healthy body, but a healthy mind! Your kids will also thank you later, when you have the energy to help them with homework and chores! And when you put that bathing suit on this summer, you will appreciate the fact that you did get up off that chair and pushed yourself to do those Inside Crescent kicks.

These is still time to try class moms - it's free for the month of May! Dads - you are next!

ASAH!
Miss Anne
Action Karate Newtown
215-820-1082
www.actionnewtown.com

PAY IT FORWARD

Miss Anne's Blog for the April Shark Bites Newsletter at Action Karate Newtown 215-820-1082 www.actionnewtown.com

As part of our Black Belt test, each candidate is asked to do a Linked-In Project. The goal of this project is to have each candidate “Pay it Forward” by organizing a personal project to help promote the benefits of Martial Arts training to others. Martial Arts Black Belts have for centuries, passed down their knowledge to beginners as a way to extend the chain of Martial Artists.

Our Black Belt candidates are the FIRST ever from Action Karate Newtown. We are very excited and proud of all they have accomplished in the last three years. Our Junior candidates have learned nine self defense moves and seven katas. Our Adults have learned a whopping 81 moves, and 10 katas. Not to mention all the front kicks, spin kicks, side kicks, chicken kicks, tornado kicks, ax kicks, wheel kicks, roundhouse kicks, crescent kicks, rear kicks, and jump switch front kicks that they all have done. Oh, and the punches and blocks. Millions upon millions. And not only have they learned the art of Kenpo Karate, but they have also demonstrated Determination to make it this far. Focus to learn all the techniques and forms. Self-Discipline to put up with Mr. C’s tough workouts. And Respect for the martial arts and for others. That is a lot of information to “Pay it Forward”. 

Miss Julia has so far raised over $600.00 to sponsor a special needs student to take class here at Action Karate. Miss Jenna has had her Girl Scout troop here for class, and they had a blast! I am writing articles and blogs about my journey to Black Belt. The Howie family is spreading the word about us by attending events around the area. Miss Hope had Mr. C. teach her gym class at her school, Our Lady of Grace. Mr. Brian is having Mr. C teach gym class at his school, Quarry Hill Elementary. Miss Emily is writing an article to the local Mom’s Club Newsletter. Mr. Daniel is having the Demo Team perform at his school’s Hoop-Dee-Do. Mr. Larry is filming a commercial for a local television station. 

Now, I just need to say, that is totally AWESOME. I am so proud of the white belts that walked into our studio when we had blue carpet and gym equipment to move out of the way before class every night. The timid, shy and scared students who now perform in public, work hard and have an amazing amount of respect. Those same white belts work community events , visit nursing homes, help out in the younger classes as Leaders in Training or S.W.A.T. members, work birthday parties, sweep the floor, empty the trash cans, and make copies for us. Amazing families and even more amazing students. We would not be where we are today without hard work and dedication from these first Black Belt Candidates. 

Good luck to all on April 9th.... persistence is key, keep up the AWESOME work both at Action and at home, school, and work.