The biggest competition is myself. I am not looking to follow others or pull them down. I'm planning to test my own boundaries.”

                                                                   Rain, South Korean singer, songwriter

About 4 years into the owning of my martial arts studio, I experienced, what I felt at the time was a true business crisis. 

One evening, a friend and fellow martial arts instructor called me to tell me had a received a promotional fax (yes, this story happened a while ago) announcing the opening of a competitive martial arts school just a mile east of my school’s location. 

Not only was this a competitive school, but it was part of the largest, most successful martial arts school chain not only in Denver, but in the entire country.

During his call, fear, anxiety and worry flooded my mind. 

What was I to do?  I had worked so hard to bring my business to a point where it was finally experiencing success and was that all going to go away...

“The biggest competition is myself. I am not looking to follow others or pull them down. I'm planning to test my own boundaries.”

                                                                   Rain, South Korean singer, songwriter

About 4 years into the owning of my martial arts studio, I experienced, what I felt at the time was a true business crisis. 

One evening, a friend and fellow martial arts instructor called me to tell me had a received a promotional fax (yes, this story happened a while ago) announcing the opening of a competitive martial arts school just a mile east of my school’s location. 

Not only was this a competitive school, but it was part of the largest, most successful martial arts school chain not only in Denver, but in the entire country.

During his call, fear, anxiety and worry flooded my mind. 

What was I to do?  I had worked so hard to bring my business to a point where it was finally experiencing success and was that all going to go awa...

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.  The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

                                                                                                       - Nelson Mandela

The COVID-19 virus is clearly impacting our planet.  Thousands have contracted and died from this disease, countries are on high alert and health experts around the globe are predicting that this is just the beginning of the impact this outbreak will have on our lives.

This is a serious situation that deserves our full attention.

In times of crisis, it is understandable for us to be in fear.  It is a natural reaction.  One could argue that sometimes fear can be a good thing.  Being aware of potential danger and having concern for our personal safety can keep us out harm’s way.  It can also provide us with a surge of power to overcome an immediate threat that confronts us.

As an instructor in a...