Training With The Champ
Today I’m grateful that my friend and mentor Grandmaster Jeff Smith is here to help me make myself and my team even better.
Like I told my son this morning, he’s not only a champion of kickboxing and martial art, but of business and life too.
One of the most important things that we can do in life is surround ourselves with great people and follow great mentors.
And we need to choose mentors with fruit on the tree in the areas that we care about- the areas we want to get better in.
But this blog isn’t only about mentorship, it’s about designing and living an awesome life.
Grandmaster Smith called me a couple of days before his scheduled flight here to say, “hey Steve, are those flights you got me cancelable? I just bought a new truck and a new bike I really wanna ride, and I was thinking about throwing the bike in the back of my truck and driving down instead. Your weather looks nice and we could get some riding in while I’m there.”
We canceled the flight and are going to spend the weekend riding after the next couple of days training.
I’m grateful and excited for both!
What makes this story remarkable is that Grandmaster Smith is 76 years old.
At a stage of life where most are doing little, Grandmaster is living the life of legend…the life he designed and created.
That’s my first point.
Great lives, like great businesses, relationships, careers, etc- you know, the stuff that life is made of- don’t just happen.
We have to design a Vision for the life we want, create goals, metrics and action plans to get there, and then make it happen!
Grandmaster Smith did that and continues to do that today!
That’s lesson one of this message and reason one that I follow him and am grateful for his mentorship.
But that brings me to the other secrets that I think he has applied to be living such a great life, with health, wealth, joy and vigor long after most have retired…
1. And i honestly think this one is the most important. He lives a life of purpose. While he doesn’t run his own schools anymore, he is still helping so many other martial arts professionals to grow into their full potential and to provide the very best Blackbelt Leadership programs in their schools. Too many people retire and lose that- purpose and passion… I think a life of purpose is one of the keys.
2. He remains active. Grandmaster has never accepted the myth that he should slow down. He still works out, teaches, trains… and drives 15 hours to help his students help theirs… and to ride Harleys. 🙂
Well, actually he brought his new Victory this time.
3. He still creates the life he wants. Unfortunately, many complain about the lives they have instead of creating the life they want. This is another of the great lessons I strive to emulate from Grandmaster.
Well, I gotta go get ready for our day now!
By the way, thank you for letting my Team and I be your mentors too, if we are.
We don’t take that honor lightly.
And, if you’re not a part of the KMMA tribe and mission yet, we sure would love to have you!
It’s my pleasure, and part of my purpose and plan, to help you plan and get your goals towards your Vision, purpose and plan too.
Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!
Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts
TampaKravMaga.com StephenDelCastillo.com
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 commissioned 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.
See stephendelcastillo.com for more information and to order my book, Developing Your Superpower, Meditations on Mastery, Volume 1.
Also, check us out on Fun4TampaKids , Go2Karate.com, Firewatch