passion

PASSION

Defined as any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling.

So what is passion?  Is passion what gets you out of bed every morning, or is it just your “obligations” that get you up?   Do you have a burning desire, or are you just walking through the motions.

We have an Instructor creed that we instructors at Team Chip Tae Kwon Do Centers recite at every meeting.  We also mentally, and periodically verbally, recite it before each class that we teach.  It reminds us why we are here.  It reminds us what our passion IS.

The Creed goes like this:

“I will teach this class like it is the most important class that I will ever teach.”

“I am courteous, patient and enthusiastic.”

“I am strong; I lead by example.”

“I empower people through the pursuit of personal martial arts excellence.”

If you’ve been around here for very long, you know that we aren’t about empty words.  We ARE about accountability, constant improvement, and dedication.  One of the things that we stress with recitations like the Instructor Creed is that the words don’t become empty.  The words must have meaning.  When we really think about it, each line defines our passion.

(1)    I will teach this class like it is the most important class I will ever teach.  Think about that.  If this was the last opportunity one of our instructors had to teach, EVER, do you think they would be lethargic and disinterested?  No way!  Would they just walk through the motions?  Absolutely not.  That’s not passion.  ATTACKING it like you have no tomorrow, that’s passion!  When you look at everything you do like “I’ve got one shot to do this right, “you see things differently.  We love the quote from Coach John Wooten that goes something like “if you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?”

(2)    I am courteous, patient, and enthusiastic.  Enthusiasm, real enthusiasm, can’t be faked.  Its outward expression is the epitome, the embodiment of expressing passion!

(3)    I am strong; I lead by example. Passion just cannot be faked.  It is something that oftentimes observers can’t put a label on.  Leaders that lead passionately are often described as energetic and charismatic.  When you are passionate about teaching someone something, you don’t just want to talk about it (although you can for hours), you want to SHOW how to do it!   When you SHOW, you INSPIRE, and your passion becomes contagious.

(4)    I empower people through the pursuit of personal martial arts excellence.  When you see someone feel stronger, smarter, empowered by something that you have taught them; something that you are passionate about, your passion builds like a snowball.  When you see them succeed to levels that they never believed possible, your little fire keeps on burning.  It becomes an inferno!

There’s a really great quote that comes to mind when I think about passion.  It goes something like this:  “there are people who make things happen, people who watch things happen, and people who wonder what just happened.”  If you have a passion for something, you can be among the “make things happen” group.

Your passion must be followed by ACTION.  Passion + Action = Stupendous Success!

So P.A.S.S. (Passion + Action = Stupendous Success!) on the mindset of sitting back, and watching the world go by.  Use your PASSION to ignite your ACTION, and no matter what, you’ll be a STUPENDOUS SUCCESS!

For more on Passion, watch the Team Chip Minute!

Tags: abilene martial arts, chip townsend, life skills, martial arts, passion, taekwondo, team chip