The Power of Pride
Each student can act like a black belt even though they are still working hard to earn that honor, for black belts possess a very important characteristic: Pride. Black belts act and speak with pride. They walk into the school with their heads held high. They do so not because they think they are better than others, but because they are proud of who they are and what they have accomplished, knowing that they have worked very hard to achieve their goals. That is why other students respect black belts so much. Even if you have not yet achieved the rank of black belt you too are able to walk with your head held high, proud of your accomplishments in martial arts. You too can reveal your pride in your actions and words before you earn your black belt. How? Simply by working harder and making good decisions and good choices.
The pride you have about who you are and what you believe gives you strength and confidence, thus being proud means that you feel good about yourself. People with pride work hard at their jobs, study hard in school and train even harder in the the center. Success comes to those who work the hardest; Failure to those that do not. You will not be proud of yourself if you make bad decisions. Some people steal because they think they need more possessions or to be accepted by others. Some people lie because they feel they need an unfair advantage to accomplish their goals and thus be liked. If you are proud of who you are, what you have and how you behave, then you never need to lie, cheat, or steal. The best part of pride is that once you have achieved it, you have already experienced many of the good things in life.
Black belts know how to avoid un-necessary conflict NOT because they are scared, but because they have enough pride to shun trouble. That is the power of pride, and pride is a quality that no one is able to take away from you. People with pride receive better opportunity in life because they work harder. If you are proud of whom you are then you work hard at being even better. That is why those with pride gain so much from others. People with pride are happier because they are satisfied. They earn respect from others and become happier by taking pride in whom they are and what they do, just like those Individual’s who earned their black belts. So with hard work, dedication, and a “yes I can” attitude, you too can earn respect and truly accomplished something monumental in you life. All through the power of pride!
