Your reason for wanting to become better?

[MantisStyle21]

Hello all! Beside the reason of pure self-improvement, anyone have any external reasons that strive to keep them training and pushing themself harder.

For example, My one external reason for bettering myself is my brother.


My brother was a martial artist long before I was, so I've lived in his shadow you could say. I mean everyone compares me to my big bro, (not in the negative way mind you, except my parents but they don't mean to be negative I don't believe) Like my sensei now was his former sensei, and I hear all the time from him how much I remind him of my brother, and how everyone at that school sees a lot of my brother in me.

And my parents if I do something, they ALWAYS let me know how my brother did it lol.

But thats my one EXTERNAL reason, I wish to train to a point where I've set myself apart from my brother, and I guess you could say surpass him. Cause we've always had that friendly sibling competition, that leads to our betterment, I do something, he out does it, which in turn I outdo.

It's quite a good drive to train =]

Anyways let me know what drives you!

 

[SenseiBear]

The only external reason I can think of is seeing how much better my seniors and instructors are than I am - How slow and sloppy I feel in comparison that makes me want to get better...

But really - there is no "external" reason... Mostly, I do it for the bliss.

 

[terryl965]

I do not do it to get better but to better myself. It is a mental and enternal thing. I'm trying to find enlightment though Martial Arts.

 

[ktaylor75]

My external reason for beginning in martial arts was to get into shape (so far in 4 months I've lost 25 pounds), but I quickly fell in love with Kenpo and decided that I had better do more work to get into shape so that I could become better at martial arts.

But within the first couple of weeks of class, my Sensei taught me a technique for getting out of a rear forearm choke. That brought up many demons from earlier in life. I had been a victim of rape twice in my life, and this "technique" brought on 3 weeks of nightmares and no sleep. But I thank someone on MartialTalk here (can't remember his name) that told me to stick with it and not quit and that it would get better and that the nightmares would stop. Had I not have had that conversation with that person, I would have quit. Here I am now as a yellow belt, having one technique left to learn in order to test for orange. So, to that person who encouraged me to stick it out, I say "thank you."

My intent is still to get into shape, but that is now why I go to the gym and cardio. My external reasons for continuing in martial arts is to become more confident in my ability to defend myself and/or others should the need arise. Kenpo has now become very personal to me, as it has helped me quiet "the demons" so to speak.

 

[TKDJUDO]

I do Martial Arts because it's a great way to let time pass

No really. I do it because I love to do it. All The ki energy that builds up inside me really helps me mentally and physically, any time, anywhere.

 

[still learning]

Hello, Life has two choices....get better or NO growth.

Everyone can improve themselves if they want to...in martial arts, work, family life, love, friendships, and their bodies (healthy).

Each time we improve ourselves...it takes alot of work and effort..most of IT do not come easy too..

For those who do not try to better themselves...end up wondering why? ...they don't improve, have a better job, a better family life, better friends, not a healty body and life style.....SO EASY TO DO NOTHING!

REMEMBER IT IS EASY TO GIVE UP AND DO NOTHING!!!

It take "WORK AND EFFORT" to become better...in what ever you wish to improve.

Reason to be better....We want a better life...more happiness!

Anyone can go to a martial art class...very few become a martial artist!

Looking back when you first started...to NOW! ....and you see the improvements of your training? ...MORE REASONS TO BETTER YOURSELF AND SKILLS....!

how come it takes so much work...to get better? ....other choice is to do nothing? .....Lazy is easy to do......Effort requires work vs verse...YOUR CHOICE!

Aloha ( a seed planted is the beginning...it needs water and care to grow...if not it will die) ....DRINK PLENTY OF WATER AND TAKE CARE!

 

[bookworm_cn317]

My reason(s) for becoming better:
-My instructor. He's really cool, almost like an older brother. Yeah, he's hard on me, but he's gotta be or I'd be a TOTAL slacker!
-Me/myself/I. I really don't wanna go back to the high school version of me, I was an extremely depressed girl who was this close to suicide(family issues). It's still a struggle to not go back to being that person, but at least I got TKD(and the people I've met there, too!).

 

[arnisador]

My son, also a martial artist, is watching me!

 

[KempoGuy06]

good thread.

Its sad to say but there are people in my life that I once considered friends that made fun of me when I started taking martial arts. Always giving me crap about how it was only for little kids. I use their negative remarks to push me during my training so that when ever they ask me "so what can you really do?" I can pull off and hopping spinning reverse cresent kick, and they just stare at me with an open mouth.

It might be kind of selfish of whatever to use that but its great motivation. My best friend has been wanting to join my dojo for a year now but with work he cant. He is the only that asks me good questions and thinks that its cool that I train.

My last reason is my little cousin who is more like a sister. Theyre are only 4 grandchildren on my mothers side of the family (one of them is a cocaine addict so technically 3). Her and I are really close and she looks up to me a lot. I train hard so that 1 if I ever need to protect her I know I can and 2. because she is watching and I want her to do her best

B

 

[Shotochem]

The Challenge.

I just keep raising the bar a little higher every time. Without anything to reach for what is the point.........

-Marc-

 

[Cirdan]

I want to truly understand the system. It is a kind of physical and mental challenge you can`t quite find anywhere else. And I enjoy training of course.

The real reason is that I seek the Path to Imortality. Mwo-ha-ha!

 

[morph4me]

No external reasons, just that awesome feeling I get when I look back and see how far I've come, and the feeling of excitement I get when I realize how much further I can go.

 

[kaizasosei]

in my experience, getting better often has to do with wanting to have the ability to defeat a certain person or certain type of person- like a complex.
another reason is to achieve health or for personal healing.
spirituality and genuine facination with the subject of ma also is helpful.

so what it is reason for me, is because im curious. and also because of health issues that also tie in with the whole flexible body graceful movements. that's why i value flexibility and strive for it. also i like the aesthetic aspect of punching/ kicking(effectively too)- as well as the philosophy of arts like aikido or ninjutsu(there i said it).

but i see many people practice to beat me. often very secretly. it annoys me because they dont understand combat or what true strength is..
whilst their doing that ****, our friendship is crumbling or becoming exposed as a fasade. i am put in a crappy position. it sucks. now i always make sure to end it really to the point but still very gently even if i have to conect some.

that's why also i concentrate on more spiritual aspects of fighting now. i see fighting everywhere in life, as i see a chance for true friendship and togetherness in many places that most would not.
i hope i have the chance to train more.

 

[tempus]

Beside the fact that I enjoy martial arts and all the other reasons to improve myself mentally and physcially. I want to become better so I have a chance to survive a situation should I ever get into one.

 

[Adept]

I train to get better in order to shrink the pool of people who can kick my ***.

Shallow and simple, perhaps, but there it is.