Momentum For Monday, December 5th 2022
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” (Proverbs 15:22)
As I prep for 2023, December has become a time of reflection. That being said, the posts for December will be a little out of the normal format for this reason. With a nod to an attitude of Sabbath, Monday Momentum's this month will be valuable lessons over the last year. I encourage you to take some time to do the same.
On a positive note, there have been some new ventures for me from this last year. One of them was that I started teaching women's self-defense. You would never think it unless you've experienced it for yourself, but self-defense has an indirect impact on mental health that fits well into advocacy for mental wellness.
Just like taking on any new endeavor, there's always a learning curve. I've leaned heavily on those that have learned this path of teaching and building a business ahead of me. My coaches have been so supportive and encouraging (shout out to Josh & Steve McKinney), but I've also been able to draw some good wisdom from them. One thing in particular came from my original Jiu-jitsu coach, Kyle Watson.
Kyle has experience in several martial arts, including a short professional career in the UFC. Not only has he gleaned from the experience from some of the best in the world, but he's also built his business from the ground up and is still competing as a black-belt while being a father and husband.
While discussing some ideas on the phone and picking his brain for advice, I asked him what he suggests I do as I learn the business side of things as well as the coaching/teaching side, after all, if I'm going to do this, I want to be successful right?. I wrote several things down, but the #1 thing I took away from that conversation was to invest in myself.
It seems like common sense, right? Maybe it's simple business 101, but that doesn't make it easy. Investing in yourself takes money, time, and commitment. I already had limited funds and a limited schedule. But I trusted what he said and knew I had to figure something out.
That was last winter when he told me that and now that we're approaching winter again, I already see improvement. It's not a dynamic change or shift, but it is progress nonetheless and I'm committed to keep patiently working to improve over time. I keep going back to that though, take the time to invest in myself.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all about serving others. I deeply believe in that, but you have to have something to give in order to serve others. It's a fine balance.
So, here's the thought I want to leave you with- is there an area of your life you need to invest in so that you can see success? It can be a practical thing or spiritual. Pray and reflect on it. It may require a change in your schedule and habits, but you’re worth that.