As Good as I Once Was
I don’t know whether or not you’re familiar with the country music song by Toby Kieth, but I was at a stop on my ride yesterday when I heard it and it got me thinking.
In the song he sings about a few stories that illustrate the idea that he “ain’t as good as I once was, but I’m as good once, as I ever was.”
I sat there relating to the song for a few moments in the same way that many men do (probably women too). All the men there were laughing, singing and reminiscing.
But then as I rode along the next leg of my journey, I started my moving meditation and, as often happens, had a revelation too.
In the song, Toby is specifically referring to physical endeavors, and about behavior that I outgrew years ago.
The meditation made me realize that, if we do it right, our mental, spiritual, ethical and leadership grows in at least direct proportion to the amount that our physical attributes diminish.
So, while we may gain some aches and pains and lose some speed, strength oir stamina as we age, we should be way better as leaders and wiser, happier and healthier in every other way.
Having said this, we need to exercise our body regularly, so that we can be the best that we can be in our conditioning and health, despite our age; but we also need to exercise our mind and nurture our spirit daily, to make better decisions than we did in youth, to proactively become better leaders and to train up the young in the way they should go, to help them minimize the pains they’ll endure acquiring wisdom “the hard way”.
Most of all we need to be grateful for these improvements and ensure that we contonmue to get better each and every year. If we don’t, we’ll just keep repeating the same year again and again instead of getting better.
And we need to embrace the roles we get to live as we mature, and ensure we are the best we can be at them.
Today I am grateful for all the growth I’ve experienced in all the important ways over all the decades of my life, and for the martial arts lifestyle that helps us to be as good as we can be as well as the great tribe at KMMA who grow better together every day in every way.
Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!
Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts
Author of Developing Your Superpowers Meditations On Mastery Vol One
Check out the Meditations On Mastery Blog and Podcast too!
TampaKravMaga.com and Krav Maga Martial Arts have been empowering lives through the martial arts in the Tampa Bay area for 20 years!
Founded in 2000 by Grandmaster Stephen J. Del Castillo, a 7th degree Black Belt and Sr. Master Instructor, Krav Maga 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.
Krav Maga Martial Arts Adult Krav Maga training is a complete adult self defense, fitness, and conditioning program for adults who want to learn real world self defense, lose weight, and/or get (and stay in shape).
If you have any questions about our program, or would like to go ahead redeem your 2 weeks FREE, you can call us anytime at 813-547-6368 or visit our Krav Maga Martial Arts website.
About Grandmaster Stephen J. Del Castillo: Grandmaster Del Castillo is the founding Master Instructor of Krav Maga Martial Arts and has been empowering lives in Pasco and Hillsborough Counties since October of 2000. He is a 7th degree Blackbelt, MBA, author, mentor and success coach, a US Army Veteran and a proud father and grandfather. He is married to Ms. Barbara Del Castillo who helps him run the school. Grand Master Del Castillo began his training in the early 80’s and has high level blackbelts in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Premier Martial Arts and Krav Maga Martial Arts as well as experience in kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do and Jiujitsu. He has high level instructor certifications from BBSI, IKMF, and KMG and has been featured in numerous Martial Arts publications and also Success magazine. He was a competitive sport karate and American Kickboxing instructor until he enlisted in the US Army where he served in the 82nd Airborne Division, where he won an Army Green to Gold scholarship and proceeded to ROTC and the University of Tampa. He was commisioned in 1992 and went on to serve in Germany with the 3rd Infantry Division and then in several other posts in the US until he left military service to pursue his dream of creating KMMA in 2000.
The Krav MagaMartial Arts Headquarters is in Lutz, FL at 1900 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., 33549. Krav Maga Martial Arts serves Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, and surrounding areas.
Also, check us out on Fun4TampaKids & on Go2Karate.com