Time Happens

This morning, as I was preparing for our Krav Camp and Blackbelt Retreat, i had a revelation…

it’s been 17 years.

17 years since I conducted that first Krav Camp in the woods, and 17 years doing 2 a year ever since.

And I realized, oh, that’s why I feel and look older than I did then. 🙂

It’s like actors in shows that last several seasons- you can see them age from season one to season seventeen too.

But then I realized there are far more relevant meditations about those 17 years too.

Relevant to what I’ve been talking about this week, and what we teach.

1. Vision Quest (which happens to be the theme of this weekend’s retreat).

In that summer of 2007, I had an idea- a question really. Wouldn’t it be cool if we took a bunch of people out to the woods for a whole weekend of Krav Maga training?

I had the Vision, shared it with a few of my people, and then we did it. The grilled chicken we ate was raw and the training plan and logistics were nothing compared to today, but the first ever krav camp was a relative success.

So it became a thing, and we’ve conducted about 34 camps since.

2. The Law of the Process. 

Excellence happens daily, but not in a day. That’s the law of the process, one of the great Blackbelt Leadership principles that we teach in our program at KMMA.

And it was true of krav camp.

We evolved the system, making the camps better and better every time.

We tried things, failed some, succeeded some, and learned from all of it.

We conducted the event, did an AAR (After Action Review) and made sure to apply the lessons from each to the next- to the point where it’s really a system now; relatively simple to execute compared to the past.

3. Time Happens.

So, over those 17 years I’ve planned, prepared and executed krav camps, we evolved to the powerful and empowering Blackbelt Retreats and Krav Camps of today, and their bigger, better and easier to plan and execute than ever before.

Now, as is always the case when I write, I didn’t share all of this for nostalgia but to convey a very important message, even lesson dare I say…

The time will pass anyway.

What we teach our students to do, through our Blackbelt Leadership Program, is exactly what we did with krav camp.

1. Catch The Vision of becoming a confident and competent Blackbelt Leader. You don’t need to understand what all that means, or how to do what you’re going to have to do, to get started- any more than we did with krav camp. You just have to See the Vision and then choose to start!

2. Embrace The Law of the Process. We are never as good or bad as we think we are at anything. The secret to becoming great is to do it long enough. To trust the process and give one’s self patience and grace, while applying Focus and Discipline. Then, one day, the student goes to their first Blackbelt Retreat, and returns a new and better version of themself! And then does it again, and again.. the more times they do, the more amazing they become.

It’s my goal that each student makes it to Blackbelt Leader, as I know they will be prepared for success at anything in life they choose to do- having developed the aptitudes, attitudes and skills we are discussing and more along the way.

But some continue on the Blackbelt Quest to Mastery, and learn and grow even more, while also sowing into the next generation of Blackbelts!

3. So if you are reading this and you are a student, or parent of a student, hang in there! The best is yet to come!

And rather you are or aren’t a student yet, you gotta ask yourself what Vision you need to catch.

If you’re not training with us yet, sure would love to take you on this exciting Blackbelt journey! 

Start here, or call 8130948-4844 or reply to this email.

And just remember, rather you are considering the Blackbelt Quest, or some other really worthy goal…

    the time will pass anyway.

It’s amazing to me how fast those 17 years went, or the 23 I’ve owned and operated this dojo by the way…

Today I’m grateful for the dojo- my leadership development academy, that also happens to teach the most practical self defense.

I’m grateful for all the krav camps.

And I am grateful for all of the amazing Blackbelt Leaders we have had the honor of developing over the years.

I’m grateful for the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, for all I have learned and grown, and taught and sown over all these years.

I’m grateful the time didn’t just happen…

but for all my teams and I have made happen to help so many over time.

I’m grateful for you.

Time happens.

The part you control is what you do.

Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!

Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts
TampaKravMaga.com         StephenDelCastillo.com

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