Settling for 2nd best is not the best option

Why Settling For 2nd Best Is Never an Option

Norman Vincent Peale, a noted motivational speaker once said “Aim for the moon and you’ll land amongst the stars”, which is a testament to the power of positive thinking and aiming for the very best you can be. Without the drive to be the best around, you’ll never have those extra reserves of energy and focus just when you need them to pull you through.

This applies across all aspects of life, from school life to work life and into someone’s personal and sporting life. A good martial artist will be a student that a wishes to master any given discipline so much that it guides their every move, from preparation to fulfilment.

Don’t Settle For Less

So, when talking about martial arts, is it a question of wanting the biggest trophy? The shiniest medal?

It’s certainly a factor, as awards are an indication that you are progressing on the right path and displaying an aptitude for martial arts, but it should be so much more than that.

Rather than being solely about beating your opponent or winning a tournament, the desire to the best or even amongst the best should pervade through to your preparation, your training, but most importantly in the respect that you give to people in your everyday life.

Win at Life

You should always be trying to improve and your own personal development should a motivation in itself for keeping yourself focussed. Sure, you may win some medals along the way, but bettering oneself is the main aim and every step along that road is something that should motivate you to want to make the next step…and the next

When you look at the greats in sport, like Mo Farah, Cristiano Ronaldo or Sir Bradley Wiggins, the one thing that links them all is the desire to get better, even after they reached the top. You could be the best there is in your club, the county or even the world, but the moment you start to think “I’ve made it” or “I’m as good as I’m ever going to be”, you take that 1% of edge away that can make all the difference.

Punch Harder & Kick Higher

Running faster, kicking higher and punching harder are natural by-products of attempting to be the best martial arts student you can be. People start martial arts at various points during their lives, so as you’re reading this, you’re more than likely going to be further down the path than some and not as experienced as others.

Gaining that next belt or mastering that leg sweep technique is as much of an achievement for someone just starting out as winning a tournament is for an experienced black belt, so you should celebrate it and focus on the next goal to keep moving forwards.

In Summary

The title of this article states “Settling for 2nd Best is never an option”, which shouldn’t be confused with saying that coming 2nd isn’t an achievement, because it is! The important thing that you use what you’ve learnt in getting to that 2nd place to make yourself better and maybe winning 1st place next time.

Never rest on your laurels, be as respectful in life as you can be and always be striving for a better you. That is the key to being the best. Aim for that and you won’t go far wrong.
Tring Martial Arts Academy offers professional martial art, fitness, life skills and self defence instruction.  We have served our community since July 2008 and look forward to welcoming you to our academy!