Simple Principles to Become Your Ideal Self - Part Two

Often, the toughest part of every journey is making the decision to go on the journey and taking that first step. The best part about this is the more you make decisions to take journeys, and the more you take those first steps the easier it becomes. You turn into a person of action. Prior to starting this blog, I spent two years confusing myself with thoughts that bounced from anxiety to depression. I had no idea what I was going to do with my life. I was deathly afraid of finding myself locked into a career I hated. The only thing that frightened me more was finding myself in a job where I didn’t make a difference but was just too comfortable to leave. It wasn’t until I made my decision to take that first step that those things really started to improve.

 4. “I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them have never happened.” ~ Mark Twain
What is the worst that could happen? Follow the instructions below to take the teeth out of our fears.

Taking that first step can often be frightening. You might not know exactly what the outcome of your actions will be. To truly move past these concerns, it can be very productive to really examine what the worst-case scenario is. Identify on a scale of 1-10 how permanent each of the potential negative outcomes could be and what it would take to fix them. You will find that once you clearly identify what is holding you back, you will realize that the shark has no teeth. At the end of the day inaction is far worse than the frightening possibilities you may have conjured up to keep yourself from taking those first steps.

As a child, I was regularly inside my head, letting the simplest things worry me and depress me to the point where suicide started to become an option. Thankfully my mother in her foresight was able to see the path that I was on and realized that a permanent course correction was required to get me on a successful path that would shape the rest of my life.

It was a place called P.S. Academy, a school for Tae Kwon Do and leadership development, in Naperville, Illinois, where I began to come into my own. It became my safe haven.  It was a place where I felt supported and rewarded for my personal growth. As a beginner, I was supported in learning all the building blocks that would later make me a successful martial artist. After about a month, I took my first test. It was for my yellow belt. Following the test, the instructor called everyone in the training room to attention and announced my results. I had passed! My first mile marker had been achieved, and the entire class applauded. I didn’t know what to do.  There were all these people who had helped me and supported me.

5. Small victories should be celebrated. Some change can occur instantly. Most change comes through a progression of small victories. Take every opportunity to allow yourself the pleasure of feeling good about each victory.

It was at that moment that a new belief about myself began to form; I was actually worth other people’s time. For a pre-teen who had assumed otherwise, it was a huge moment that started a paradigm shift in my life.

I would love to say that I accelerated my successes and I became a champion martial artist over night, easily able to teach the bullies at school a lesson. My development while progressive did take time and some amazing mentors. My first three years were filled with challenges and failures just as much as successes. For each challenge, there was an instructor or higher ranking student who was there ready and willing to help me. Several times there were moments when I felt as though things were too tough, forcing me to regress back into my shell. These moments made me want to quit. Whenever this happened the senior instructors along with my mother were there to quickly act, reminding me of all the things I had accomplished and remind me that with steadfast dedication and practice I could achieve my goals. This consistency made me more dedicated to achieving my desired results.

6. Proceed as if success is guaranteed.  Probably the most important line in this entire blog post, if you follow this six-word phrase, it will profoundly change your life.

These were not simply kicks and punches but a mindset of success. As I progressed and improved my knowledge and skills, I stepped further out of my comfort zone. When I could not figure something out myself, I asked others for help. With my continued dedication, I entered the academy’s Assistant Leadership Program.  There I learned how to encourage and develop others as I had been. Helping someone reach a level of success they had never reached before is incredibly overwhelming. I saw students develop in ways I had remembered developing. It was inspiring knowing that I was able to have a hand in another person’s victory. More of my personal time was spent at the academy assisting classes and helping to organize and run events. It was inspiring to be able to give back to an organization that helped me grow so much.  

7. Find a way to give back to your community and do it regularly. Achievements are powerful things, but it is helping others that you will feel the most rewarded.

It is giving back and empowering others to grow that I have found most important. My outstanding mentors and coaches demonstrated by helping me, how to help others. They helped me realize the confident person I became. I was able to learn the skills that others used to help me blossom.  Taking those skills and using them to help other people realize their passions is now my passion. Join me each week for a positive message on how to get out of a rut and how to build a life that you are excited to live. 

For more information about P.S. Academy in Naperville, Illinois click here.