If you ask parents what level of success they want their children to achieve in life, most will say they hope their children will reach their potential.  It seems like an achievable goal when all you want is for them to do their best.  How many times have you said to your child, “Try your best, that’s all we ask?”  The unfortunate reality is that most children will not even come close to reaching their potential because we fail to provide our children with the proper tools to achieve.

In order for any child to reach his or her potential, they must first possess three key attributes:  knowledge, self-confidence, and self-esteem.  Even if they excel in one or two of these attributes, their results probably will be average at best.  A child will be empowered for success when all the key traits function as a whole.  Knowledge will give them the skills to navigate through life.  When they feel good about themselves the confidence in those skills makes them feel valuable and worthy.  It is these components that establish the foundation of strong self-esteem.

As adults we must show children that we never stop learning regardless of how far we’ve gone in school.  Motivation isn’t just about getting good grades; it’s also about being curious.  This is evident in martial arts training, as the quest for knowledge never stops: there is always something new to learn, whether it is a technique or a concept.