A DAILY HABIT

 by Phillip Starr

Most of us engage in certain daily “habits” without thinking much about them and if we consciously skip over one of them, we feel as if we've neglected to do something important. We wake up, brush our teeth, and tend to various small chores such as shaving, brushing our hair, making the bed, and so on. Such things have become a part of our lifestyles.

Daily practice of your chosen martial art must likewise become a daily habit...like brushing your teeth. It needn't use up a great deal of time. If you can put in just 20-30 minutes, that's fine. Don't have time? Stop with the excuses...everybody has 20-30 minutes of free time each day. If you're convinced that you absolutely don't have the much free time, I suggest getting up a bit earlier. It's a matter of priorities...how important is your training to you? If it's really important, you'll find a way; if not, you'll find an excuse.

You should strive to do it at least 6 days a week. If you do this for 30 days, it'll become a habit and as you continue to do it, the more ingrained the habit becomes. Practicing only once a week (or less) or Tuesdays and Thursdays just doesn't cut it IF you want to make your art your lifestyle. It mustn't be relegated to the status of a curious hobby that you do on certain days of the week; doing so will not foster the development of high skill. At all.

Daily practice will soon produce some very positive results...not just in terms of your skill level, but also in your health, productivity at work, and even relationships. It doesn't happen all at once or very quickly; it takes time. But good things come to those who practice everyday.