money problems. :(

[toushi1]

Sorry peeps but this post might be a long one. If you want you can skip to the last sentence.

So I've been in college 1 year now and my view of martial arts is changing. What I'm concerned about is money. Currently I have 0 $, I'm not being able to find a simple part time job.(Even Taco Bell turned me down?) This is really frustrating because I don't have enough money for a boxing bag or simple exercise equipment. As much as I'd like to tell myself otherwise, there's really no way of doing martial arts without money and getting good at it.

This not being able to find a job thing really messed me up. I even switched majors from engineering to business because I felt studying for all those years didn't pay off at all. So now I'm really starting to question whether I will even be able to make any money or find a job. I'm from an indian family so they really push the idea of money leading to success up your ***, which makes matters worse.

The bottom line is I don't feel like doing MA anymore because it seems like money runs the world, including MA and im fresh out of it.

 

[kenpofighter]

Hey, I know the boat your in. But don't give up on your MA. You can practice what you have already learned. Yeah, you may not feel like it's worth it, but don't loose hope you will be able to get in job eventually. Just try your best to not get rusty, maybe by teaching MA to someone you know one a week. Don't matter how much you know you can always teach what you do know and you will find out that you will learn even more. Most importantly just get a good education while you can, then comes the money, then MA. Hey MA is a little like ice skating once you learn how you can always skate. Might not be as great if you have not skated in years but it comes back to ya. (Never had any bag or any sort of equipment in my life, and I've done just fine! But I would like to have some stuff someday.)

 

[geezer]

This not being able to find a job thing really messed me up. I even switched majors from engineering to business because I felt studying for all those years didn't pay off at all. So now I'm really starting to question whether I will even be able to make any money or find a job. I'm from an indian family so they really push the idea of money leading to success up your @$$, which makes matters worse.

The bottom line is I don't feel like doing MA anymore because it seems like money runs the world, including MA and im fresh out of it.

Hang in there. I went through the same emotions, twice! First, after finishing my undergrad work, then again (with more debt) after grad school. Finally I ended up changing my career goals and took work as a teacher. So, I went from broke to merely poor. And, although I'm Anglo, not Asian, I came from a family of professionals with high expectations too. And, to top it off, my Sifu kept raising his fees until lessons with him ran into the thousands of dollars, so I had to quit. It took me about 16 or 17 years to get back into training...but eventually I did find good honest training partners and instructors who are helping me along. It's really Karma. Two of these guys are authentic masters now. But about 20 years back, when they were getting along toward black belt, I trained them for free (since the head sifu charged so much). Now they are returning the favor to me. My long-winded point? Keep your chin up and sooner or later you'll find a way to work things out.

 

[MA-Caver]

The bottom line is I don't feel like doing MA anymore because it seems like money runs the world, including MA and im fresh out of it.

You're not alone. But I am not giving up on my MA just because I can't afford it... I keep practicing what I do know, and know that in time things will get better.

Remember if you're on the bottom... you've only got one direction to go... :uhyeah:

 

[BrandiJo]

You and i are just like everyone else, everyone has, will be, or is in your boat and if a person is lucky enough to be born rich well id bet they atleast know someone lol. I happen to fall into the working my **** off along with my dear hubby and still can't afford to train just yet. I have been out for a good two years now but am still holding out hope that i will find a place i can afford and then come back full swing and stick to it.

Keep on keeping on and soon you'll get there.

 

[jks9199]

If you seriously want to train, you'll find a way. You'll practice what you've already learned. You might decide to make a heavy bag from a duffel bag, for example. A jump rope is less than $10. You can do very good fitness work with just your body, and a chair or two... You might check out Crossfit, too. Their workouts are entirely built around little to no equipment -- or stuff you can make for yourself easily.

You need to define "and become good" for me, too. What is good? Is it becoming more skilled than you were yesterday? Is it learning the depth of the style you've been studying? What do you mean by "good?"

You said you're in college; many, if not most, colleges (even community colleges) have pretty good gym facilities available to students for free, or a very nominal fee -- which you may already be paying! You might even find out that they have heavy bags, etc!

Finally, two general advice points. First, define your major in college by two things: what interests you, and your career goals. Many careers don't require a specific degree; studies that interest you will likely lead to better grades, which will make you a more attractive job applicant when you graduate.

Second, on part time work... I've seen too many people show up for interviews looking like they aren't serious "because it's just Taco Bell" or wherever. Others show up, and give so little availability or put such limits on their availability, that they aren't worth hiring and training. Or they showed up late for an interview, or didn't bring required paperwork when it was needed. If you're not getting jobs -- take a few minutes, and assess what YOU are doing to get a job. Are you making yourself an attractive and desirable candidate. Would you hire someone who treated your business as a "last resort?" And don't give up!

 

[Big Don]

There is a support group for that, its called EVERYBODY, we meet at the bar.

 

[skinters]

sometimes we look for excuses not to train,im not saying its that way with you, but you dont need money to train .

work on your stamina,go for a run ,plus there are lots apparatus you can find to work the body.keep things moving, go through what you know forms etc.

although i attend a ma class twice a week for years i just trained alone doing foot work etc and still do .

keep your body moving and quit the excuses.

good luck .

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Look at your college and see if there is a martial arts group there. Many groups or clubs at colleges in the United States cost very little to train in.

Good luck and no matter what keep training.

 

[terryl965]

If there is a will, there will be a way.

 

[bluekey88]

I sympathize...I remeber trying to raie a young family and get through undergrad...then again for grad school (I found out my wife was pregnant with our second child in the middle of my first Grad school class...she was born smack dab in the middle of finals).

At that time I trained inconcsistently. I went to all the schools in town and took advantage of any special trial periods or promotions they had. I took classes with the university MA club as part of my phys ed requirment.

It was tough...there were times I was holding down 4 jobs just to scrape by. No time or money to train seriously. Often, when I had the money, i didn;t have the time (work, school, family) when i had the time...no money (between jobs).

I didn;t give up however. I did what I could when I could. I actually got a lot out of this period. I was exposed to a variety of arts, and I learned something from every lesson. Once things settled down (I got a decent job and could afford to train seriously), that experience paid dividends in my training in incalculable ways.

There will come a time that you;re not broke. Prioritize, hang in there, train what you can when you can and it will all work out.

Peace,
Erik

 

[bowser666]

Don't lose heart. Just keep looking for a job and if you can't find one ( Impossible, there is always a job somewhere, job availability isn't that bad.) Put your training on hold , practice what you know. Besides pushups, situps, jumping jacks, are free.

 

[arnisador]

You've got to keep on keepin' on. Things will get better.

 

[terryl965]

As a side note go to a school and ask if they train you can you do odd jobs instead of paying. It has worked for me in the past.

 

[Brian S]

Don't give up on it because of money. MA is for everyone who craves it regardless of their financial situation.

There has to be people in your area that do it just because they like to. i've never seen an area where there wasn't.

There is a group somewhere, just find them.

 

[stickarts]

when someone comes to us that really wants to train but doesn't have the $$, we find ways to work it out. Perhaps there is a school in your area where you can work off your tuition or find some other arrangement.