It’s not uncommon for most martial arts goals to take several months or years to achieve. And when you’re working toward a long-term goal, it can be tough to stay motivated week after week.
So how do you stay focused and driven to succeed in your martial arts training? Here are a few ways to help you stay motivated for your long-term martial arts goals:
1. Define Your “Why.”
People have different reasons for getting involved in martial arts. Some are looking to learn self-defense while others are focused on improving their fitness and health. No matter what got you involved in martial arts, have you ever thought about the why behind that? Understanding the why behind your martial arts practice and training is a significant source of motivation. It’s the reason that keeps you showing up for class, day after day.
2. Emphasize the Process
When you’re working toward a long-term goal, if you’re focused on the result, it can feel like you’re not making any progress. Rather than only thinking about the future outcome, you can stay motivated by shifting your focus to the process. Stay engaged with what you can do to improve today and make sure you’re taking all the small steps that will get you to your long-term goal.
3. Get to, not Have to
When you participate in something that you tell yourself you “have to” do or you don’t enjoy, you’re not likely to continue it for very long. And if you do stick with it, you probably won’t have a lot of fun. And that’s not very motivating. It’s not realistic to expect every minute of your martial arts training to be fun. However, overall it should be something that you look forward to. It’s something that you “get to” do. If you find that you’ve lost track of what made martial arts fun in the past, try to remember what your training was like as a beginner.
Are you interested in learning more about Classic Fight Team and what we have to offer? At our Fountain Valley martial arts academy, we offer a variety of programs for all ages and experience levels. Contact us to find out how to get started.
