One of our favorite sayings, reference our self defense training, is that we pray for the best, but train for the worst.
There are two hopefully obvious insinuations of this maxim which are:
better to be prepared and never need it, that to need it and not be prepared and,
we must train realistically, and hard enough, to create said preparedness.
But, if we have our way, we will never have to use the self defense aspects of our art. Does this mean our training in wasted?
Of course not!
Martial arts training develops fitness, focus, discipline, leadership and goal setting skills to name a few!
These are all great benefits for all people of all ages, but let us focus for a moment especially on our important task of helping raise up a child in the way he or she should go.
The four laws of concentration and the seven words of respect are just two examples of the way that we train children with the positive habits that will serve them well for success in school, in life and in their future!
Can you imagine what kids empowered with these kinds of leadership skills are capable of?
Would you like to?
Call 813-948-4844 or visit TampaKravMaga.com to find out.
You probably already know that Krav Maga Martial Arts is a Leadership Development Academy that also happens to teach the most practical self-defense in the world.
God forbid my students should have to defend themselves against real physical harm, the techniques and training of our Krav Maga self-defense program will allow them to do that very effectively.
But even if each and every one of my students is fortunate enough to never get to apply that piece of what we do, they will be better equipped for each and every challenge of life, and to be a leader in whatever phase of that life they are at.
In John Maxwell’s 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, the very first law is the law of the lid.
The law of the lid basically explains that our personal and organizational productivity is limited by our ability to lead.
Neither can reach full potential unless leadership itself does.
But as I prepared for the lesson that I want to give from the mat this week, I realized that the principle is true for everyone, even our children.
My favorite definition of leadership is influence that leads others where they should go, because they want to go there.
Leadership is influence.
But I don’t believe that leading someone to an evil place or one that hurts rather than helps them is true leadership; so leadership is something morethan just influence, something more noble and true.
This is where the “somewhere they should go” part of the my definition applies.
A good leader’s motive must be to lead his or her followers only in a direction good for the follower….
And still we can’t force them- that’s not leadership, but only coercion.
So, the third part of my definition of leadership is that the follower must want to go there.
There are two elements relevant to the latter I believe:
The follower must belong the right tribe. One should not follow one that he or she doesn’t trust and mostly agree with. A tribe should have similar values and character. The culture and direction of the leader and the tribe has to fit.
The leader has to be a good communicator; able to teach the followers why they may want to go this way instead of that.
Back to the leading “wherever you are at: part though, which is really the lesson of the week.
We all lead wherever we are at.
As our influence and the size of our following grows,so does the leadership responsibility of course.
but everyone can lead from wherever they are at.
Children can be leaders amongst their peers, employees to their peers but also down the chain, and can even lead up- and of course parents must be leaders to their children.
If you look (and accept) my definition of again, I am sure you will agree that my hypothesis is true (that everyone can lead from wherever they are in theior life and leadership development).
At a minimum, everyone cn lead by example.
By the way, great leaders are also great followers.
No one really leads who can’t follow as well.
Everyone should be leading those they have influence over and following leaders they can learn from All the time.
In this way, as is true in most things, we can both execute where we are at (in the law of the process) while always continuing to become better.
It’s a lifelong journey!
If you’d like to learn more about my tribe, our leadership and our journey, visit us at TampaKravMaga.com or call 813-948-4844 to set up your 2-week free trial and orientation.
Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!
Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts TampaKravMaga.com
Author of Developing Your Superpowers Meditations On Mastery Vol One
Check out the Meditations On Mastery Blog and Podcast too!
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.
Because Mother’s Day is coming up, I am going to share an important story from my childhood to punctuate my point.
The point is a simple one.
Respect is a very important and errantly missing trait amongst many people in our society today.
It’s true of kids; and unfortunately, it is all too true amongst adults too.
Respect is the second of the 6 foundational Blackbelt Superpowers that I teach about in my book, and that we focus on developing in our students at Krav Maga Martial Arts every day.
After all, the kids will grow up to be respectful adults and the adults appreciate the respectful culture and community too.
This Sunday, we will honor our mothers.
Some of us are blessed to still have them. Some are not.
As adults, hopefully most of us love, appreciate and respect them either way.
Not all kids do.
But kids don’t really do most things correctly all on their own- it’s our job to teach them.
That’s why we put so much focus on teaching respect at our school.
Of all the people that people should respect, it’s their mother.
Most of them really deserve it; and even when they don’t, they do.
Perhaps in some cases it may have to be mixed with some grace, but every child should respect their mama.
Mama brought them into this world.
I am so grateful for my mother, I love her so much, and I respect her for who she is, all she’s done and as my mama.
As in most things, I fail at being as good of a son as I should be.
Being as good as we should be, at anything, is tough.
We get distracted by so many things to do.
But I am doing my best to do better, at least calling my mom every day on my way in and out and doing my best to show her that I love and respect her always.
My wife helps me so much because she spends a lot of time for me helping take care of mama.
For that and so many other reasons I love and respect her so much too.
So, really, the purpose of this message is just to say how much I love and respect my mama and my wife…
to send a message to anyone who’ll listen about how important this is to do.
And to tell all the mother’s reading this how much we respect and appreciate you.
But I know somebody’s still wanting to hear about my butt whoopin’ so I’ll tell you.
One time, as a young child, I said something disrespectful to my mom.
My father gave me a whopping I’ll never forget.
I’m not trying to say that was right or wrong or express an opinion about that kind of parenting one way or another.
But I am saying that I appreciate receiving that one.
We’ll be teaching on ways to show respect for mama from the mat Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week.
You won’t want your child to miss it.
Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!
Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts TampaKravMaga.com
Author of Developing Your Superpowers Meditations On Mastery Vol One
Check out the Meditations On Mastery Blog and Podcast too!
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.
One of my favorite mentors once taught me that “You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want,”…
now some of my mentors are real live teachers of mine, and others, like the one that taught me this principle, were mentors via book, audio and video lessons.
The mentor was the late, great Zig Ziglar; mentor to me and millions of aspiring leaders over his years.
I am blassed indeeed because my team and I get to help so many others to accomplish their wildly important goals.
Some come for fitness, some for focus, others for discipline, confidence, respect or self control in their kids.
Many come to learn real world self defense.
My team and I get to help all of them to get what they want!
On top of that, I get to help my team get what they want.
Some come and work through high school, college or another season of life- some want a career.
I get to help each and all of them get what they want too!
And by helping others get what they want, I get, like Zig said, what I want in life.
So my two questions for you are:
Who are you helping?
How do I, or how can I, help you?
Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!
Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts TampaKravMaga.com
Author of Developing Your Superpowers Meditations On Mastery Vol One
Check out the Meditations On Mastery Blog and Podcast too!
Mom’s Train For Free In May!
Call 813-948-4844 to RSVP!
Women’s Self Defense Seminar
A FREE KMMA Community Event
813-948-4844 for more details and to hold your spot
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.
