Focus Beyond the Board 

“Don’t aim at the board. Aim through it.”

This is one of the first things I teach in my Board Breaking Experience workshops — whether I’m working with executives in a boardroom, educators in a retreat setting, or students standing nervously at their first martial arts demo.

It may sound like a simple instruction. But it’s one of the most powerful metaphors I’ve ever used to help people break through fear, limiting beliefs, and the invisible walls holding them back.

Because in both martial arts and life, when we focus on the obstacle — the board — we often stop short.
We hesitate.
We second-guess ourselves.
We lose momentum.
And we hold back.

But when we shift our focus to what’s on the other side, we unlock a completely different energy.
The body aligns. The mind commits. The result changes.

This principle doesn’t just help people break boards.
It helps them break patterns.

The Obstacle vs. the Outcome

Let’s face it — we all face “board...

The "Board" Isn’t the Barrier — We Are 

“The obstacle isn’t out there. It’s in here.”

For over five decades, I’ve guided thousands of individuals through personal and professional transformation — from martial arts students on the mat to business leaders in the boardroom.

No matter the setting, I’ve found that the greatest breakthroughs happen not when we overcome external challenges… but when we overcome the internal ones.

🧠 Fear.

😓 Hesitation.

🗣 That little voice that whispers, "I'm not ready," or worse... "What if I fail?"

And nowhere is this more obvious — or more transformative — than in my Board Breaking Experience workshops. Whether I’m leading a corporate team, keynote audience, or school assembly, there’s always that one moment before someone steps up to break their board. They pause.

Their body may be ready, but their belief isn’t.

It’s rarely about physical strength.
It’s never about technique.
It’s always about mindset.

The Real Barrier Is Internal

Wh...

“Surrender to what is. Let go of what was. Have faith in what will be.”
                                                                 — Sonia Ricotti

So often, it’s not the events themselves that cause us the most pain—it’s the stories we tell ourselves about those events. It’s the judgments we make, the blame we assign, and the weight of resistance we carry that keep us stuck in suffering.

Life has a way of humbling us, stripping away the illusions we cling to so tightly—often just so it can rebuild us into someone stronger, wiser, and more compassionate.

I’ve experienced this firsthand.

The two most painful events in my life—losing my 11-year-old brother to a tragic drowning accident, and enduring the end of a 26-year marriage—brought me to my knees. I felt broken, uncertain if I had the strength to go on.

In those moments, I was angry. I blamed others. I blamed myself. I even blamed God.

But slowly, something began to shift. When I stopped fighting reality ...

 “I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly; you're doing something.”
                                                                                                                                                                                            — Neil Gaiman

Every four months, I welcome a new group of Black Belt Candidates preparing for their testing journey with me. For many, it's their first time training under my instruction. And as you might expect, that first session can feel intimidating.

I often see students—capable, strong, and well-prepared—freeze under the weight of one thing: the fear of making a mistake.

That fear creates hesitation. Hesitation leads to errors. Errors fuel more self-doubt. And the cycle continu...

“Dedicating your time to being AGAINST something is the same as dedicating your life to something you hate; you feed it with your energy. Knowing what you are against, helps you decide what you are FOR. From there, the best thing to do is to pour all of your focus and time and energy into what you are FOR instead.”
                                                                                                                                                                                           — Teal Swan

We live in a world where being against something is often the loudest message in the room.

Scroll through social media, turn on the news, or listen to the latest debate—and you'll see it. Movements, political platforms, and conversations are often built not on what we want to create, but on what we want to destroy.

And while standing against injustice or hardship can feel noble, I’ve found that fighting against something too often keeps us focused on what we don't want...

"Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world."
                                                                                                              — Joel A. Barker

Each of us is born with a vision—an inner knowing of who we’re meant to be and what we’re here to create.

Think back to your childhood. Remember how limitless your imagination was? You didn’t just dream—you became your dreams. I personally wanted to be a cartoonist, a doctor, an astronaut… even a superhero (and yes, at five years old, I was Batman).

These childhood visions weren’t just whimsical fantasies. They were clues—guiding us toward the path of expressing our unique gifts and making our mark on the world. This gift isn’t reserved for a select few. It’s in all of us.

So, if these visions are embedded in our hearts, why do so many of us allow them to fade? Why do they become distant dreams instead of powerful realit...

"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."
                                                                 — Aristotle Onassis

Each year, I’m blessed to travel the country, sharing the empowering message of Black Belt Leadership and the Mind of a Champion with teams, organizations, and individuals hungry to reach new heights.

One powerful theme I share is how the stories we tell ourselves — especially the negative ones — can secretly disempower us, trapping us far from the happiness, success, and fulfillment we deserve.

But here’s the good news: when we shift into Forward Focused thinking, we don't just overcome obstacles — we transform them into stepping stones. Challenges become blessings. Setbacks become setups for our greatest breakthroughs.

A Simple Exercise That Can Change Your Life

During many of my keynotes and workshops, I guide participants through an exercise where they share a challenge they're facing. But there’s a twist...

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”
                                                  — William Shakespeare, Hamlet

It’s human nature to label the events in our lives as “good” or “bad,” especially when they don’t unfold according to our plans or expectations. But what if those very labels are limiting our growth? What if what we see as a setback is actually the beginning of a breakthrough?

One of the most profound lessons we can learn is that meaning is not found in the event itself, but in how we interpret and respond to it.

Sometimes life reminds us of this truth. It disrupts plans, shifts priorities, and forces us to adapt in ways we never imagined. And yet, for many, it can also became a time of deep reflection, renewed purpose, and unexpected opportunity. It shows us the power of perspective and the importance of staying nimble—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.Let me share a story that beautifully illustrates this idea.

Let me sha...

“Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.”

                                                                                                                                     — Dwayne Johnson

This morning, I almost skipped my mini-exercise routine. I was tired. I felt sorry for myself. And honestly, I just didn’t feel like it. Then a story came rushing back to me—one that stopped my excuses in their tracks.

Years ago, I heard about an elderly man who walked into a gym and turned heads.

He was in his early nineties—yet his body was lean, powerful, and incredibly strong. His chest was broad, arms defined, legs like tree trunks. His back was solid, yet supple. Even his white hair carried a kind of youthful energy, matched only by the twinkle in his steely blue eyes and the vibrance of his spirit.

Someone asked him his secret.

He smiled and said,

“Over 70 years ago, I made a promise to m...

"There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstances permit. When you are committed, you accept no excuses—only results." – Art Turock

A few years ago, I was at a conference and heard a speaker share a quirky yet profound take on commitment. He said:

"I had bacon and eggs for breakfast this morning. The chicken was involved, but the pig was COMMITTED."

While this may sound a little cheesy, it stuck with me. It made me reflect deeply: How committed am I really to the things I say I’m committed to?

Or, as the legendary coach Steve Chandler often asks, "Are you interested, or are you committed?"

In my 50 years as a martial arts instructor, I’ve had the honor of working with thousands of students. Of those, hundreds have reached the prestigious rank of Black Belt and beyond. But here’s the thing—what sets these students apart isn’t physical prowess. It isn’t about strength, flexibility, or ...