Building Self-Confidence and Self-Control: Part 1


Two of the biggest reasons people come to our school is to build their self-confidence and develop self-control. These are significant characteristics for any martial arts student and it’s important to understand how these attributes work together when studying Tae Kwon-Do.

Being confident is to trust one’s abilities, qualities, and judgements, and to understand the difference. It comes from failing, and learning to overcome those failures. It also comes from trying something you didn’t think you could do, and then succeeding at it.

Tae Kwon-Do is a great example of this. Most people come in not knowing anything and have no idea what to expect. I’ll ask them to do things they’re not accustom to doing. I’m yelling and punching and kicking and it all makes a new person very uncomfortable. Some new people are so skittish they quit the very same day.

That’s why we always welcome new people with open arms, because we know our training is usually very foreign to them. We’ll start with a private lesson to ease you in and become comfortable in the dojang. Then we’ll put you out on the floor with other beginners and set simple goals, basic punching and kicking drills.

New people will come in not knowing anything, and by the end of day one, they’ve learned a punch or kick and a self-defense move. Their eyes beam from their accomplishment. That’s how you build self-confidence!

Throughout the program we’re constantly putting challenges in front of them and teaching them how to achieve. This turns them into goal setters and goal achievers. Every time you achieve a goal, you’re building your self-confidence.

By the time students enter tournaments and perform in front of an audience… well, their self-confidence skyrockets.

We’re so good at building self-confidence, we’ll help you achieve other goals in life you never thought possible.

One time, I helped a kid with low self-confidence believe he could play hockey if he set his mind to it. So he went out and picked up a stick, learned to skate, tried out and made a hockey team. Unfortunately, when he realized he liked Tae Kwon-Do more than hockey, he was unable to make the comeback into his training.

It’s a double edge sword in our business, but it’s always good for self-confidence.



