As we celebrate our second year at Championship Martila arts Table Rock Lake, I have been reflecting on what teaching has taught me – and one student’s journey reminded me exactly why this school exists.
When I opened Championship Martial Arts Table Rock Lake two years ago, I thought I knew what teaching would look like.
Students would show up.
I would teach.
They would learn.
Belts would progress neatly.
Confidence would grow on schedule.
Simple.
Reality had other plans.
Because not every student walks into a martial arts school needing the same thing.
Some need confidence.
Some need focus.
Some need patience.
Some need humility.
Some need responsibility.
And sometimes the students who seem the most capable are the ones who need the deepest growth.
The Student Who Picked Everything Up — Except One Thing
I’ll call her Ava.
From the beginning, Ava was physically gifted. She learned kicks quickly. Her balance was excellent. She was competitive by nature. She wanted to be first. She wanted to be the best. And most days, she was.
Then we introduced board breaking.
For the first time, something didn’t come easily for her.
Her technique was good. Her speed was there. But board breaking requires more than skill — it requires commitment. When her board didn’t break on the first attempt, she froze. Frustrated. Embarrassed. Confused.
She wasn’t used to failure.
And that moment mattered far more than the board itself.
A Different Path Forward
Not long after that, I asked Ava a simple question:
“Would you like to help me during class?”
Her eyes lit up. Not because she wanted to assist others yet — but because she saw a new challenge. A new way to stand out.
At first, she approached helping the same way she approached drills: find what’s wrong and fix it.
“Elbows higher.”
“Your stance is too short.”
“That kick wasn’t strong enough.”
Technically correct.
Emotionally… not what the students needed.
So we worked on something new.
I told her, “Your job isn’t to correct. Your job is to encourage.”
That was harder for her than any kick or form.
Learning to Lead
Slowly, she started to shift.
Instead of pointing out mistakes, she started saying:
“Nice job trying.”
“Keep going.”
“You’re getting better.”
She began noticing effort instead of just results.
She began understanding that not every student learns as fast as she does — and that helping others grow is more meaningful than proving she’s ahead.
Somewhere along the way, her competitiveness softened into leadership.
Not loud leadership.
Not perfect leadership.
But real leadership.
The Real Breakthrough
The next time we practiced board breaking, she stepped forward again.
Same technique.
Same strength.
Different mindset.
She struck. The board broke.
But this time, the celebration wasn’t just about her success.
It was about the journey that got her there.
She had learned how to fail.
How to persist.
How to support others.
How to grow beyond herself.
That’s what martial arts is truly about.
Not Every Student Needs the Same Lesson
Some students need confidence.
Some need discipline.
Some need focus.
Some need humility.
Some need empathy.
Some need responsibility.
Our job as instructors isn’t to teach every student the same way.
Our job is to discover what lesson each student truly needs — and guide them toward it.
That’s how we Build Champions in Life.
The Instructor Who Needed Fixing
After two years of teaching, I’ve learned something important:
My students aren’t the only ones growing.
Every student teaches me something new.
Every challenge makes me a better instructor.
Every breakthrough reminds me why this school exists.
Not just to teach Taekwondo.
But to develop Focus, Discipline, Respect and Confidence.
A Message to Parents
If your child struggles with failure…
Or perfectionism…
Or competitiveness…
Or social connection…
Please know:
They are not broken.
Comments
One response
Great job Mike. You have found your niche (teaching and learning from others). So proud of you.