It finally happened to me! Or actually to my kid…
It finally happened to me! Or actually to my kid…
So quick story… I am getting ready to teach one of my quarterly “Master Training Seminars” at the Cave Creek Campus KarateBuilt school today and this time of year we call “Black Belt Goal Setting Season” so, in the kids class, the parents of the kids write their goals on a board and break the board at the end – I take this really seriously and ask the parents to write up actual goals they want for their kid like graduate college by the age of 22 or achieve financial freedom by the age of 30, etc…I read the goals out before the kid gets to break!
Now, this is hard because, frankly, parents (and most adults in general) don’t really understand goals so they tend to write stuff that isn’t a goal like “be happy” or “be respectful” – which are great things – but are not goals (they don’t specify time, aren’t measurable, blah blah…)… and in the middle of class I send the board back (I am mean) and ask them to re-do it. I take it seriously because I know that when parents take it seriously and understand goals they will expect and get more results – which is incredibly beneficial to their kids.
That’s the backstory… one of my favorites goals I always have suggest is that your goal for your kids should be:
“When they turn 16, they buy a car – with their OWN money that they EARN themselves!”
Not from gift money, not a car that mom and dad buy or pay insurance for, not even the beat up hand-me-down car for free but something that they purchase themselves…
Usually the parents laugh at this but I am serious. Imagine what it does for a kid if they have to get a job and work to earn money, save, and buy it and have to take care of it… AND keep up grades in school…
Well, my son, Alden just turned 16 and after saying this to the students for so many years he expected that he had to buy a car if he wanted one. He worked from the time he legally could in AZ (12) and still does big time football and honors classes (and Karate of course) and he just got his car! It isn’t an expensive one but it’s his and – if I have to say – pretty nice!
So I guess I always like to write about him because I am so proud of the boy and like to brag, but the bigger point is that this process, I believe, will make a huge difference in the future in how he responds to creating opportunities for himself. The car now doesn’t really matter – the future does… and this came out of the message we discuss in Taekwondo…
As I always write here about how students here are products of the product of our martial arts and I wanted to share this example.
Plus the car looks really cool!
Sr. Master Greg Moody, Ph.D.
KarateBuilt.com and KarateBuilt Martial Arts have been selected the nation’s #1 martial arts schools for EIGHT YEARS IN A ROW!
Founded in 1995 by Dr. Greg Moody a 7th degree Black Belt and Sr. Master Instructor, KarateBuilt Martial Arts and Karate lessons for pre-school children ages 3-6 and elementary age kids ages 7 and up are designed to develop the critical building blocks kids need – specialized for their age group – for school excellence and later success in life.
KarateBuilt Martial Arts Adult Karate training is a complete adult fitness and conditioning program for adults who want to lose weight, get (and stay in shape) or learn self-defense in a supportive environment.
Instructors can answer questions or be contacted 24 hours or the day, 7 days a week at Karate@KarateBuilt.com or call directly at 866-311-1032 for one of our nationwide locations. You can also visit our website at KarateBuilt.com.
About Dr. Greg Moody: Greg is a seventh degree black belt and senior master instructor. He has a Ph.D. in Special Education from Arizona State University (along with a Master’s Degree in Counseling and a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering – he actually is a rocket scientist). He has been teaching martial arts for over 25 years and has owned eight martial arts schools in Arizona and California. Sr. Master Moody is a motivational speaker and educator and teaches seminars in bullying, business, and martial arts training, around the world.