My first three books were actually a series of martial arts instruction manuals for my students. These books contain all the techniques and process student’s need to go from beginner to Black Belt at my martial arts center.
Now, imagine signing up for my karate program only to have an instructor tell you, “Read these books; then when you think you’re ready we’ll schedule your Black Belt test!”
What would you say? I assume you’d turn right around and walk out the door; yet in the business world managers and executive take this approach every single day.
As I said, those manuals contain all the knowledge and functional information you need to get to Black Belt. The problem is that whether you want a Black Belt or success in your business, you need the discipline, focus, confidence and perseverance to apply that knowledge and information to achieve the results you’re looking for.
Without proper training, expert instruction and continual development in those areas, all that knowledge and information may as well be printed on a roll of toilet paper in your staff wash room. In martial arts, knowledge is always secondary to training…particularly training the mind to embrace the rigors of the rest of the training process.
Have you ever attempted to install a new process or procedure only to find that implementation falls flat and results, if any, are negligent? If so, you’re not alone. Most people in business have had this experience at one time or another; not for lacking in good intentions but simply because in their enthusiasm they overlooked a very important fact:
“Without the proper mindset, no process is effective.”
Mindset is the foundation for all effective execution, in the dojo, in your sales force, your production line or in your C-suite. You can train your people in any process, but that process only works when your employees and managers have the discipline, focus, confidence and commitment to excellence that transforms that process into tangible results; ultimately your bottom line.
This process never ends. The Black Belt is not the end of the trip for martial artists; it’s an important milestone in the process of continual personal development and self-perfection. Mindset characteristics are never fully developed; the real challenge in life and in business is to embrace this process and commit to never-ending learning, training and improvement.
Professor Nick Cireo continues to have a profound effect on my philosophy and mindset. One of America’s martial arts pioneers, the Professor taught that the achievement of a Black Belt is most of all, the development of a strong learning attitude. Achieve a Black Belt and you develop the mindset qualities you can apply to learn and master any skill.
How valuable would that mindset be in your organization? If you’ve already got Black Belt Mindset, what are you doing to share and imprint that mindset on everyone in your company?
Discipline, focus and confidence are skills that can be learned, developed and applied by anyone willing to make the commitment. The continual development of these characteristics requires the commitment of the individual and the organization.
Before you install any process, make sure the people working within that process have the mindset characteristics necessary for success. If they don’t; train them in mindset first. If they do; train them to even deeper levels!
“Perfection is not a destination; it’s a never-ending process.”
To learn more about Black Belt Mindset visit THINKLikeaBLACKBELT. org!
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Every person in your organization can THINK Like a BLACK BELT…FREE!
Call 721-0299 TODAY to book Jim Bouchard, speaker, media personality and author of the Amazon bestseller THINK Like a BLACK BELT for your next business event…
…courtesy of the Black Belt Mindset Institute at Northern Chi Martial Arts Center in Brunswick!
Includes:
THINK Like a BLACK BELT Keynote! (Available in formats from 30 to 60 minutes!)
FREE WEEK of martial arts lessons for your staff and families!
FREE BONUS SESSION: Self-Defense for the Business Person with Center Director Alex Armstrong!
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Just how important is a soft skill like DISCIPLINE to the success of your business? How can you develop more FOCUSED and DISCIPLINED employees?
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From the Love Like a Black Belt blog…
