fbpx

What does The Karate Kid have to do with goal planning?

A big theme we hear about from clients all the time is the struggle with implementing goals. The actual DOING versus the part that, frankly, is more fun…visioning and planning!

Taking action is incredibly important when it comes to goals, and yet it’s often the part that we struggle with the most. 

There’s a Zen proverb that comes to mind when we think of this stage of goal planning: “Before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment; chop wood, carry water.”

Remember that 80’s movie The Karate Kid?  When Daniel asks Mr. Miyagi to teach him karate, Miyagi has him waxing cars and buffing floors in very particular ways.  Daniel, of course, gets incredibly frustrated and feels like Miyagi is just using him to do all of his chores.  Later on Daniel realizes Miyagi was helping him build a strong foundation for becoming highly skilled in karate. Miyagi had Daniel work with his resistance, push through the feelings of boredom and frustration, and create action that was so frequently practiced it became habit.  

Chop wood, carry water.  Wax on, wax off.

Two major factors came into play with Daniel and Mr. Miyagi.  It was a combination of 100% commitment to the goal AND the right accountability that allowed Daniel to take action and succeed.  Even when the action was super repetitive and annoying, even when he was exhausted and frustrated.  Daniel was deeply committed to learning karate, and he sought out accountability from someone who knew what they were talking about and pushed him to achieve more than he dreamed possible.

So we’ve got two questions for you this week:

Are you 100% committed to your goals?

Who or what is holding you accountable?

Be a Daniel. Go find your Mr. Miyagi. 

And if nothing else, we hope if you– for some wild reason– have never seen The Karate Kid, you’re resolving that issue right away!

Going Above and Beyond

Photo credit: Jeff Blake, USA Today Sports

Recently Next Level Wealth had the honor of being a sponsor for an incredible speaker. Everyone who attended this event walked away in awe of his story and inspired to do more.

Chris Singleton is a former minor league baseball player drafted by the Chicago Cubs. He is now a nationally-renowned speaker with a message of unity, resilience and forgiveness, following the loss of his mother in the 2015 Mother Emanuel Church tragedy in Charleston, South Carolina.

When then-18 year old Chris lost his mother in this racist attack, his mission changed from making it to the big leagues to rooting out racism one person at a time. He went from big brother to father figure overnight. Everything he thought he knew was turned upside down.

Chris talked about privilege through a story a mentor once told him–privilege is like being born on second base without ever picking up the bat. The issue is when you believe you got to second base by hitting a double. 

He also shared what happened when he arrived at his mother’s church after the shooting Chris desperately wanted to go inside and find her (at this point he didn’t know if she was dead or alive). He was stopped by a police officer, who told him he wasn’t allowed in.  Chris was distraught and frantic, and the officer took the time to help Chris get where he needed to be to find out more information. In the midst of the chaos, the officer stepped away from his duties to go above and beyond his job and help Chris.

He never forgot that act of kindness, and the countless other acts of kindness he and his family received during that time.

Chris challenged all of us to acknowledge our privilege and go above and beyond what is expected.

In this season of gratitude and generosity, are you holding this awareness for yourself?  Are you going above and beyond “good enough” in your life and business? Are you sharing generously with others, in whatever ways you’re able?

It’s amazing how much a simple act of generosity can impact someone’s life.  Most of the time, we have no idea just how much.