- And this means YOUR test, whether it transpires this year or one, two, or three years from now [because you’re always "in-training," right?] –or whether it’s the test for one or more of your students)...
- Is one of your most potent and powerful tools for communicating to your community; for promoting your school; for promoting and propagating what makes your school and YOU a unique, brilliant, amazing, valuable and righteous commodity...
- Yes, this idea that your testing PROCESS is THE thing that drives your school –that makes your services extraordinary –that gives you recognition – this, you understand is NEW. In the old-school system, testing was a small, small part of "the process" of school promotion. Promotion had a different face...
And it (innovative, creative "out of the dojo and into the world" curriculum) need not be limited to black belts —ideas could be added to all belt levels. WHY? To make real the promises of the martial arts! That we do, indeed, develop more functional, balanced, self-disciplined people –thru MA training and mentoring.
AND ...
Your life! What about your life? How about YOU?!! (It’s always about you, isn’t it?)...
What are you doing –how do you LIVE –what are your habits –and how do you evolve and grow? What if you lived a lifestyle of "mastery practice"???? —physical mastery (always training and polishing and learning); educational mastery (reading, listening, seeking out heroes, hanging with people that inspire you); spiritual mastery (seeking what is not physical, but about your compassion and ability to love); emotional mastery (becoming the ruler of your emotions –so that they serve you)?
What if the UBBT was part of the model you used to LIVE? How? By reminding you to set lofty goals –to work on those goals methodically –to connect with people who inspire you –to put yourself OUT THERE as a tool for personal growth? Oh, and to DO for others...
SO...the next time, Mr. or Ms. Martial arts school owner, that you are sitting down to plan (or implement) your school’s advertising campaign ----think about the idea that buying an ad isn’t 1/1000th as powerful as getting up, first thing, in the morning and training –while inspiring others to do the same. That 15 minutes of meditation training under a master is more important to your school that 15 ads in the "Big Nickel" ----and that your school doing 1000 acts of kindness in 30 days is a thousand times better that spending $1000 on advertising in the next month.
And when it’s MOST powerful –is when you decide (and act upon) that you are going to MAKE
A DIFFERENCE in the WORLD by getting people to exercise –and thus begin to find their vitality and center —and that you’re going to help people learn about meditation –to connect with their inner-voice and calmness –and when you’re going to talk about self-defense from a GLOBAL perspective...
Most of all –when you live and breath these things —when you take action in the world...that’s when it’s most powerful -----and THAT is what separates you from all the others –that is the leap that few instructors/leaders take. What is your Tree? (Seen this video?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDrb03cqvrA
Yes, "What is your tree?" INDEED!
When you MASTER this approach –you will have mastered the USP of your school –your marketing strategy –and at the same time you will be happier, healthier, and on the road, I believe, to becoming a practicing "master." It’s it cool that all of these things are really the same thing?
Oh, and allow me to remind you —you’re not alone here! You have staff members...you have students...you ALL DO IT TOGETHER! Supporting each other –helping –focusing –it’s your collective energy that makes the team effort greater than anything any individual could accomplish alone.
Tips for School Management –ad and promotion campaign...etc!
1. Look over the UBBT site. As imperfect as it is –do you see how it SELLS the process? How’s your school’s black belt site? Any journaling? Any public involvement? Is it a "test" —or one-hell-of-a-life-experience? Is there another site or MA school that has anything comparable? ----oh yes, and what are you SELLING anyway?
2. Are you asking for –and directing –your staff members and senior students towards personal mastery? Are you mentoring them –or do they just "WORK FOR YOU?" If you’re NOT doing it yourself –working the work...then I’ll bet you aren’t —how could you? What kind of hypocrite are you! HOWEVER, if you’re living it, day-in and day-out –with the struggle and the defeats and all of it —you won’t barely have to say a word and you’ll inspire.
3. Your "PROJECTS" define you as a person. Your PROJECTS! What are yours? Then, next: What projects have you inspired others to tackle? Personal? Community? Global? Environmental? Art? Mentoring? Projects could run your school –and drive your publicity/enrollment campaign.
4. WHO are you talking to today? Yourself? Your staff? To make your school fly you need to talk to prospective members or to people who can HELP you talk to prospective members. THE MEDIA. When’s the last ime you had a good, solid, motivational chat with a member of your local media –a teacher –or a business owner who deals with lots of your potential students?
CLASS TEACHING TIPS
1. Make the first 5 minutes of your class AMAZING! Make those 5 minutes COUNT! Make people feel powerful, pumped up, focused, friendly, relaxed, connected, and welcome! MAKE YOUR FIRST 5 MINUTES go WOW (big time)....and then....
2. Make the second 5 minutes AMAZING...and do that every five minutes for 45 minutes. THAT is an awesome class.
3. Find a theme and/or message in your class (at least once a week, if not every day) that pierces the heart of your students –that drives a spike of recognition and compassion into their GUTS...
There’s no shortage of subjects...but what you must do is become a master story-teller —and tell stories that remind people how valuable your services are –how valuable the community you’ve created (and that they are a part of) is —and that reminds them to treat themselves and others with deep respect —to apply perseverance to life, to their daily challenges —to get them to FOCUS on the fact that giving your self over to the service of others is most of what gives you perspective, happiness, and life-satisfaction...
The better you are at THE MESSAGE —the more emotional connection/commitment you get from those around you. Want to keep students? Forget contracts –and go for connection/emotion/inspiration!
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