Bruce Lee got me started in martial arts. But not for the reasons you might think. When I was a kid, I thought martial arts were stupid. Every kung fu and ninja movie I saw on TV was ridiculous. I never wanted to be Chuck Norris, Sho Kosugi, or a young Chinese man wearing robes…
Tag: success
#19: 7 Lessons From Bruce Lee
Welcome to Episode #19 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, 7 Lessons from Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee is probably responsible for more people signing up for martial arts classes than anyone else in history. And I’m one of them! In this show, I share seven lessons from Bruce’s notebook, the Tao of Jeet…
One Trick to Be a Better Teacher of Martial Arts
If you’re a martial arts teacher, I bet this has happened to you. You’re watching a student spar—let’s call him Rodney. Rodney’s not doing well. So, you coach him— “Rodney! Relax, keep your hands up, bend your knees, move, combinations, keep your chin down, pressure!” Then what happens? Nothing. Rodney fixes nothing. It’s like he…
How Bad Communication Got Me Punched!
I’m going to tell you a story—a ridiculous story—that demonstrates the dangers of bad communication. Back in high school, I had a classmate whom I shall call Martin. At some point, Martin decided to jump up a notch on the “cool scale” by doing something to impress his buddies. What did he decide to do?…
#17: The Language of Success [Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #17 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, The Language of Success. Most of us take how we communicate with the world for granted…which can lead us to failure or even put us in danger! Join Sensei Ando for a discussion on how to avoid being misunderstood and for easy ways…
Make Yourself Comfortable–It’s a Matter of Life and Death!
Stop! Before you read this, make yourself comfortable. Straighten your back. Relax your shoulders. Take a deep breath. Here’s why– When you make yourself comfortable, you’re smarter, safer, happier, and more efficient. As an animal, it’s natural to seek pleasure and avoid pain. Yet, how often do we find ourselves, or put ourselves, into situations…
Finish Strong: How To Get Things Done
I admit it–martial artists can be a wacky bunch. Allow me to share an example… One night, during an Aikido class, my teacher demonstrated how to defend against a knife attack. She called up a student and handed him a wooden knife, then gave the cue to attack… The student stuck out his arm, thrusting…