We have a new training theme this week - "I always start school STRONG!" I know it may be hard to believe . . . but the start of the school is just a few weeks away! At Ohana Karate, one of our biggest objective as we come to the end of summer is getting you off to a strong start in school! It is important to understand why! 1. HABITS - Have you ever met anyone that just seems to always be late, procrastinate over everything, or never seems able to finish anything? What is the difference between these people and high achievers? It is just one thing - their habits. Individuals form habits. But groups and families also form common group habits. There really is very little difference between forming good habits or bad habits. So back to starting strong in school. What habit is your child and your families developing? Just start doing two things now: A. Energy is Everything - Start now getting your child excited for school (we will at the dojo). But here is the key. Don't get them excited - first YOU get excited. They will follow your energy. Fake it at first if you need to . YOU GET EXCITED FOR SCHOOL. B. Get ready early - Have you ever had a friend whose first morning of school goes like this - "OGM - hurry! Get up! You are going to be late for the bus/for school!" If you think shifting from summer to school is hard for adults, it is even tougher for kids. At least a week before school starts, transition to a school like routine. Wake up at the right time. Go through your getting ready for school routine. Make the start of their day orderly, positive and strong. Do some homework or reading at your REGULAR homework time. Again this is just all about habits. 2. You don't have to like something to love something! - This is one of my favorite success habits you can form in your child now. Discipline and success is the ability to "do things you do not want to do! So, "You don't have to like something to love something!" This one comes from Grant Cardone. What he means is, successful people have learned the powerful habit and discipline of doing well at things even if they at not good at it, don't like it or don't want to do it! Here is what is magical - act like you love it and eventually your probably will. You will love it because like most things, at first you are not good at it. But soon, if you work hard at it, you get very good at it. When you are very good at something you tend to love it. If you can only do things you "like" to do at first???????????? School is the perfect way to learn this habit - teach your child they don't have to like school. They don't even need to be good at it. But . . . they need to do well and their very best at it! 3. Predicting your child's future - Think of school as a great early test. It is a great predictor. A predictor because how your child does in school will set in place how they will probably do at everything else in life. How they do in their first job. How they do in their marriage and families. How they do in life. (Now, traditional school may not be for everyone. Some struggle in school, yet are highly success beyond school . . . but, the lessons and habits learned go far beyond just the academics. They learn work ethic and social skills.) We are here to help you get ready for school . . . so you can have YOUR BEST SCHOOL YEAR EVER!!!!!!!!! We belt stripe test next week. Keep working hard and develop the hard work habit! See you at the dojo, Sensei