Dear Karate Students and Parents,
I hope this newsletter finds you all in good health and high spirits. In this month’s update I cover.
1. Why it’s important to measure progress on goals
2. Queensland Titles In July
3. Five Dock Dojo Belt grading in July
4. 2025 Memberships
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As we find ourselves halfway through the year, it's a perfect time to reflect on the goals we set at the beginning of 2024 and assess our progress.
Back in January, I shared a video with you all while I was in Fiji, highlighting the importance of small incremental daily progress towards our goals. It's incredible how time flies, and now we have the opportunity to measure our achievements.
Personally, I have had mixed results. Some goals have been met, while others have fallen a little short. However, what has made all the difference is tracking and measuring my progress along the way. By doing so, I have been able to adjust my approach and maintain focus on the overall objectives.
Let's look at the goals I set for myself in January:
1. Reaffirm my daily and morning rituals, stepping up the effort levels:
· Wake up to the alarm at 4:30 AM each day
· Make the bed
· Write three gratitude’s in my daily journal
· Walk the dog each morning and achieve 10,000 steps
· Spend 30 minutes at the gym or practice kata daily
· Enjoy a sauna and swim
I'm happy to share that I have been tracking strongly on all the above goals, and most days I can confidently tick the affirmative box. It's been a fulfilling journey, and I can feel the positive impact these rituals have had on my overall well-being. I literally feel invincible after my morning routine, and I’m set for the day ahead.
Additionally, I added the goal
2. Giving up alcohol
Whilst I haven't completely achieved that yet I have significantly cut down and am well on my way to stopping completely. It's a work in progress, and I'm proud of the steps I have taken so far. Now don’t get me wrong, I love a beer, glass of red or a neat whiskey, however alcohol doesn’t align with the identity that most resonates with me and rather than keep making excuses I know I need to do the hard things – and that means not drinking.
3. Step up my karate training
Another goal I committed to was stepping up my karate training to honour the fact I’m now one of a small group that represent the National Team (and the oldest). Our sights are firmly set on bringing our best to the World Cup in London in September. I'm feeling positive about my progress in terms of commitment, although there are still many technical aspects that I need to work on.
The key message I want to emphasize is the importance of tracking our goals and adjusting along the way. It allows us to stay focused and motivated, ensuring that we keep our eyes on the overall objectives. It’s been necessary for me to tweak and add goals to adapt to changes and ensure I’m still heading up the right mountain.
When we set goals, it's easy to get caught up in the initial excitement and enthusiasm. However, without regular check-ins and measurements, it's challenging to know if we are making any real progress or if we need to adjust our approach.
Two pitfalls that most people fall into when setting goals and not measuring progress are:
1. Lack of Clarity: Without clear and specific measurements, it's difficult to determine if we are moving in the right direction. Vague goals without concrete milestones are challenging to track and can lead to a lack of motivation and focus.
2. Loss of Momentum: When we don't measure our progress, it's easy to lose momentum and become complacent. We may think we are making progress, but without concrete evidence, it's challenging to sustain our efforts. This can lead to a sense of stagnation and a loss of drive to keep pushing forward.
By regularly measuring our progress, we can stay focused, motivated, and make necessary adjustments along the way. It allows us to celebrate our achievements, identify areas for improvement, and ultimately increase our chances of successfully reaching our goals.
I would love to hear from all of you. How are you tracking with your goals halfway through the year? Perhaps now is an appropriate time to reflect on your progress and any adjustments that may be required. Remember, it's never too late to recommit and work towards achieving your aspirations.
The 14th Queensland Karate Championships – Childers 4th-6th July
We have a small crew attending the Qld titles this year. It’s an important one for the National team as it’s one of the few occasions the whole squad will be together to train ahead of the World Cup. I’ve uploaded the information on my website. You can find it by clicking HERE. There is opportunity to attend the magnificent training and be part of the Saturday competition. Bonus of being in the school holidays – what else would you rather be doing!
Five Dock Belt Grading – Friday 12th & Saturday 13th July
This year we have the privilege once more to be hosting Nemoto Sensei. You will note that the dates we have been allocated for Sensei are not our usual training nights. Whilst ever effort is made by the TSKFA Secretary to accommodate dojo training schedules we can appreciate that it’s not always possible to have a Tuesday or Thursday allocated to us.
The venue is currently looking like the Dance Studio in Great North Road, Five Dock where we will have the entire building to ourselves for the duration of the event (270sqm). I’m working on the times and suspect it will be 4-7pm both days. Please let me conform that with you all in the next few days.
2025 Memberships
Yes! it’s time for membership renewals! This year with Qld titles and our belt grading mid-July we will have a tight timeframe to have memberships paid by you all. Annual membership for TSKFA is $135 per student and represent terrific value when we consider our affiliation to ISKF, our Japanese Instructors attending Australia and the quality of instruction from our senior Sensei around the country. Sharing with you an extract from our secretary received yesterday on the subject.
Memberships - A reminder that memberships are due now and should be processed at your end and forwarded to the TSKFA Secretary within the next couple of weeks, to enable us to get them processed in time. Note that the Queensland Titles and Nemoto Sensei’s next visit are immediately in the new financial year and that all members who train, grade and compete must be financial.
Team - please visit my website and select Shop, then Memberships, add to basket and checkout.
As always, if you need any guidance or support in your karate journey, please don't hesitate to reach out to me or any of our dedicated instructors. Together, we can continue to strive for excellence and growth.
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you at our next training session.
Oss! Andy Sensei
Dojo Head TSKF Five Dock
Deputy VP TSKF NSW
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