People often ask me HOW do you do it? “IT” being all the different martial arts I study (11) and teach (I approximate the number of total classes I’ve taught to be around 26,000), the dozens of articles and blogs, 3 books I’ve written and the crazy sports; boxing,kickboxing, full contact stick fighting, Jiu Jitsu, skiing, kitesurfing, surfing, motocross, kayaking, rock climbing, wilderness camping, hunting, fishing, etc…I’ve been, and in some cases I am still involved in?
On top of that I run and I am sustained by owning and running my own business for the last 28 years, 19 of which I operated a successful martial arts school. Did I mentioned I was a trained Chef and opened my own restaurant in a very prestigious area in Southern California at age 23? …or that I’ve taught at one of only 8 Ivy League Universities in the world for the past 20 years?

The answer???

I absolutely decided at a turning point in my life to….

RAISE MY STANDARDS
What got you here to this point will not get you to where you want to go. What do I mean by this? As a player, team, coach, or just trying to survive, you are in a constant league of competitive improvement and evolution. You cannot play at the level that got you to the state championships, when you are in the nationals. You cannot play or think at the level you were at as an amateur, fighting as a Professional. What got you here will not get you where you want to be. Now, this is not to say you should change your approach, if it works for you on the levels you are now competing at; then it is sound, in concept and principle. The KEY Component to focus on is the “Elevation Of The Standards” you and/or your athletes hold for themselves.

NOW, you may be thinking to yourself that’s Great, but how can I use this?
Ask yourself, am I a World Class Coach? If the answer is not absolutely affirmative, there may be an issue with your self-concept. If the answer is yes, then how does a World Class coach act? Think? Dress? Stand? Speak? Interact? Are your standards as high as possible? Do you expect more from yourself than anyone else possibly could? If you are honest, you are thinking, “I have some work to do.”
…And how about your team? Do they emit the energy of a team of Champions? Do they practice at the highest standards, play their very best, walk, talk and act with the confidence, style and charisma of a champion? Are they 100% ON when they practice, train and compete? Are they HUNGRY? Are they MINDFUL of their goal? Do they fight with the intent, desire and passion as if no one could possibly expect more out of them than themselves?

It’s actually pretty simple, if you want the BEST, you MUST raise your standards to the level of those that are the best! You want more, BE more!
As one of my teachers pointed out to me….It’s NEVER crowded at the TOP, Kevin!