This past weekend Kailea, my daughter, achieved a goal. It is a goal she has been working toward for nearly half of her life. This past weekend Kailea tested for, and received, her black belt in Tae Kwon Do. I am, of course, a proud (and biased) parent, but her performance throughout the five hour test was simply extraordinary.
The test is designed to challenge the body, mind and spirit. And the final test was the greatest challenge of all. The challenge: break a concrete brick with your bare hand.
Throughout the years leading up to this test, we knew Kailea would have to face this challenge. My sincere hope was simple: please don’t break any bones.
It really never occurred to me that she might actually be able to break a brick with her hand. I have only seen one other person accomplish this challenge. I thought it was a fluke. Turns out, it wasn’t.
On Saturday, Kailea met her final black belt challenge head on. She got up, found her focus, and broke the concrete brick in half with her bare hand. Just like that! Mission accomplished.
I was literally in awe.
I asked her about it after the test, and she admitted that going into it she didn’t think she would be able to do it. So, it wasn’t belief that allowed her to break the brick. What was it?
Clearly, years of training went into this final feat. She has broken dozens and dozens of boards with her hands and feet, so she definitely has “breaking skills” in her bag of tricks. But…this was a concrete brick, not a wooden board. This was different.
So how did she do it?
After seeing it happen with my own eyes, I wasn’t sure. So I kept watching the video, over and over again. Finally it struck me: she simply decided to do it.
She didn’t know how. She wasn’t even sure if she could. But when she got up there and stood in front of the brick, she decided “I’m going to do this.” And she did.
To me (the proud and biased Mom) this is a powerful lesson. How often do we shy away from something simply because we don’t know how to do it, or because we aren’t sure if we can do it?
And what if next time…we simply decide to do it?
What will you decide to do today? Please share with me below. I look forward to hearing from you.
First of all, congratulations to Kailea. What an accomplishment! I think you’ve drawn a very powerful lesson from her experience. My “decide to do it” project: actively promoting my business, which is not something that comes naturally or easily to me, but has to be done. So: I will just do it!
It isn’t easy, is it? So glad that you have decided to “just do it!” Congrats Nancy. 🙂
No brave story from my side, just congratulations to Kailea. I remember one of your videos on the Staying Organized class where she said “I just run through it”… she sure sounds like someone with perseverance!
Thank you Petra! I will send your congrats her way. 🙂
So impressive, just amazing, Aby! And this will inform so much in Kailea’s life, large or small. (I’d love to see that part of the video.) Congratulations, Kailea!
This reminds me of a difficult glass art/design workshop I took years ago. Our wonderful teacher and artist, Steve Klein, gave each of us a laminated photo of a maze, but the walls were busted out in a path from the bottom to the top. The caption he hand wrote: “No walls for this mouse!”
I love it – bust down the walls and create your own path. Great way to live!
WOW! What a powerful story. Congratulations to your daughter!
Your daughter is an example for us all! Not only that she broke the brick but the training and focus she must have had to come this far.
Today I decided to register for a certified training to teach the creative journal writing classes I love to follow myself so much. I’m not totally sure if I’m the right person to teach these classes, if I will be able to do it. The class will not be given very often anymore and I was afraid I would take the place of someone who would be good at it. But if I not try it, I’ll never know. So, I decided to do it!
The whole Garvey family is so proud of Kailea. I know she will always accomplish what she puts her mind too. Her life is on a path of success and she knows better than anyone else, it takes a lot of work to accomplish your dreams. Good Luck Kailea