I recently came across this great article 5 Traits of a Super Bowl Dad and felt the need to share it. After just watching a great Super Bowl this past Sunday, it is very appropriate. As a father of 5 myself, I’m always looking for ways to be a better father. The great thing about it is that I can carry those 5 Traits of a Super Bowl Dad over in the academy classroom to our students. Here they are:
1. Attitude
The right mindset is everything. You have to believe you are the right person for the job and that you have the skills to do the task at hand. And you have to stay positive when the chips seemed stacked against you. Parenting is hard. From when your kids are infants to when they’re young adults, challenges test us. What is your attitude? Negativity is like a virus that can spread throughout a family. Cling to hope, even when life knocks you down. Move on to the next play and do it better.
-At Black Belt Academy we strive to teach every student the importance of having a “Black Belt Leader Attitude!”.
2. Effort
“In parenting, showing up is essential. Make the effort to be great.”
-Beginner students need to be committed to two classes per week…every week. As you progress to higher levels in our leadership programs students come up to 3 times per week. That is about 3 hours out of 168 hours in a week. Not too much to ask but it does take effort!
3. Perseverance
There will be that moment as a dad when you’re going to have to decide whether to stick it out or to cut and run. Who are you going to be in that moment? There was a time when parenting for me was so hard, my own dreams were fading away, and my marriage was shaky. I had to ask myself, “Who are you going to be?” A man of perseverance? A man of substance? A man of commitment? A man who gets the job done right to the end?
ATA Martial Arts and Black Belt Academy know the importance of perseverance and strive to teach that to our students every class!
4. Time
Being a great dad takes time. If you’re a young father and feeling overwhelmed, know that we’ve all been there. It gets better. So much better. Not long from now, that little screaming infant will be holding your hand and filling you with a type of love you didn’t even know existed. And the funny thing? You’ll look back at those early moments with fondness because, in hindsight, you’ll see the love that was surrounding all of it. Rookies have to learn and that takes time. The trick is to learn from your mistakes.
5. Execution
Have you ever listened closely to a coach? At the end of a game, win or lose, the coach talks about execution. Did the players correctly execute the plays or did they not? We train, we practice, and we set ourselves up for success. But in the end, it all comes down to executing the game plan. You know what your family needs from you, so figure out how you’re going to do it and then execute the plan. Nobody becomes a champion by accident.
This is great insight! The most important execution for a newer student is listening and obeying the instructor…with a great Black Belt Leader Attitude. If the student gets this right, and you as a father/parent reinforces that they did this, fantastic things will happen on the Journey to Black Belt Excellence!
If you enjoyed these tips and would like more, please visit axis.org. They have some really good resources for parenting.
See you in class!
Sr. Master Karpiuk
7th Degree Black Belt, BA Education
ATA International Judge