Your Challenge

Most people don’t understand why I teach my program for free.  In fact, I’m not quite sure that anyone does.  It is a burden for my students, not a blessing, and it is designed as such.

First, I am attempting to train you to receive a gift with grace, accepting something that is given freely and with all of my heart.

Second, I want you to learn to use what you are given, what you already have, responsibly and with clear eyes, not clouded by monetary values.  How often do we take for granted that which is given freely: a friendship, a hug from our children, our spouses, and so on?  We get complacent, entitled.  That is when the universe tends to take these things away, as a difficult reminder that perhaps we should be more attentive to those things that are truly valuable to us.

When we pay for something, we know what to expect and what is expected.  When we place monetary value on something, we know where its value falls in the grand scheme of things.  Or at least we know where the world says it should fall.  We know that brand names are more valuable because advertising tells us so, and thus we perpetuate the lie of the common rabble that I hope my students will rise above.  In offering a free program, I ask you to do something much more difficult and character-building than paying my price: I ask you to place a value on my program.  Not in terms of money, mind you.  Money is cheap and unworthy compared to the relationship between a sensei and his students.  What I value is your commitment and dedication.  How much of those commodities are you willing to pay me?

I don’t need you to say “thank you.”  In fact, I don’t really even want you to.  Saying something is easy.  Show me how you feel with perseverance, dedication, and consistency.  Do you realize that the education you are receiving for free is better than any education you could buy from most teachers?  The challenge for you, my students, is to see if you can rise to the opportunity that is presented to you.  I spend most of my life working on my Tae Kwon Do classes for you.  How much time do you give to Tae Kwon Do?  If you’re happy with your progress, then you’re putting in the right amount.  I don’t need you to be a black belt, or to be anything really.  I just want my students to be happy with their TKD education.  I suspect that, for some of you, you will be happier if you put in a little more effort outside of the dojo, working on your techniques on your own.

I don’t like having to say, “don’t take me for granted.”  But sometimes I feel a bit compelled to.  We have so little time on this earth together, and I have worked my whole life to present this knowledge to you, free of charge.  I’m practically begging you to take it.  If you want what I have, don’t waste a moment.  The information that I give you is not free because it is worthless; it is free because it is priceless.

We don’t have much time.