Exemplary

"I absolutely LOVE it 
when someone says 
that somebody else cannot do something 
and then they DO IT! 
I consider one of my most favorite hobbies 
to beat the skeptics! 
I have done it sooooo many times myself, 
doing something
when no one else thinks I can, 
or helping someone else 
accomplish something
when others say they cannot...

...I have a lot of goals
in so many different areas of my life,
and most people would get overwhelmed
at this point. 
But I am excited! 
More excited than I have been
in a very long time. 
I still have a few brick walls,
a lot are in my head and my heart. 
But as Randy Pausch said, 
the brick walls are only there 
 to show us how badly we want something. 
And I am choosing to be a "Tigger" 
and not an "Eyore." 
That is my choice!"

- Andrew Trento, 3rd Degree Black Belt

Tonight I had the privilege to host a most exciting inspirational event in my classroom. Andrew Trento, a former student of mine, gave a talk called "The Secret of the Secret: Does the Law of Attraction Really Work?" He spoke about the challenges of opening his own TaeKwonDo school at age 19, against all odds, and against many naysayers.

In many ways, Andrew and I are meticulous in what we do. We prepare, plan, and create with excellence as our goal. And sometimes, we wing it, not out of lack of caring, but more to see how well we can do with what we have resourcefully in the moment. We didn't over prepare for tonight's talk. Andrew said he was going to let Spirit guide him.
It worked.

It better than worked. Andrew is a captivating speaker and a talented motivator. He got that way by allowing himself to be taught, guided, mentored and corrected. He's a sponge, but he absorbs selectively, recognizing what will evolve him and rejecting that which would impede his progress. He doesn't keep his lessons to himself. He passes on knowledge, sometimes by direct instruction and many times by example.

Tonight he taught in the style of a true raconteur. His stories flowed one to another, always helping him to make his point, always giving his audience something they can relate to. He's not afraid to talk about his mistakes which makes him accessible. He's generous in his acknowledgment of other people who have helped him. His natural humor got some great laughs. His upbeat style never faltered. He didn't even pause for a sip of water. You'd think he'd been training as a speaker for years.

That he calls me his mentor - sometimes he calls me his spiritual mentor, sometimes his mental training mentor - is an honor. To watch him and sometimes see my teachings making a difference in his life is incredibly validating. My teaching made a difference and now it continues in a new generation of students, his.

I knew he was bringing several of his Black Belts to the talk as a demonstration of what it means to have a successful martial arts school. Ye shall know them by their fruits, as the saying goes.

Samantha Grace and Erin were in their Black Belt uniforms emblazoned with the Trento Martial Arts and Fitness logo. They stood tall in front of a huge auditorium-style classroom. Andrew's voice went from warm story teller to stern master as he called out their forms.
All it took was one Kia from those girls to make my eyes fill up. The hot tears poured down my cheeks and dripped into my lap. I didn't want to wipe my face and draw attention to my boo hooing. I just watched and cried in awe of Andrew and his students.
Besides kvelling with pride I was touched so deeply by their generosity. They took time out of their busy lives to come to my classroom. This magic was happening in my room. Every form was a gift. I didn't stop crying till they bowed and sat back down.

Black belts performing in my classroom? The privilege was overwhelming.

What Andrew accomplished in his life, at age 22, is pretty overwhelming in itself. To have overcome serious illness, to have achieved a high level of excellence in the martial arts, to have opened his own school, to have dreamed and made those dreams a reality is heroic. BUT...and everyone loves a big BUT... he reminded his audience that he is not special. Anyone can visualize their goals, take action, and achieve success. The formula is not that complicated. Dream it, feel what it will be like to have accomplished it, see the dream as if it is already real, take action and persist in faith.

No, it's not a complicated formula but making the decisions, the choices, to stay positive despite the odds against you takes guts. To risk the hurt of possible failure, to take the beatings of criticism and doubt from people close to you, and to overcome one's own self doubt takes a level of perseverance that few will ever dare. It's so much easier, so much safer, to just settle for a so-so life. Excellence requires risk, but Andrew made it sound so doable. Many were encouraged and inspired tonight.

When I had to make the closing remarks I wanted to do justice to what we had just witnessed. I told them about the power of words. I told them that it is simply miraculous to be able to see my words in action. I couldn't even look back at Andrew standing behind me. It took all I had to look at his girls sitting in the front row in their uniforms. I struggled to speak.  I couldn't hold it together. I started to cry in front of my classroom. The words caught in my throat but I managed to choke out the lesson that what we say matters. Words are congealed energy. They have an influence on the world.

Why was I crying? All my hard work to make my classes meaningful had paid off. My determination to give my classes something of value in life was not in vain. Some people will take the life lessons and use them out in the world to make things better. Some will do it in an exemplary manner. When you struggle so hard with self doubt as I do, it is remarkably affirming to witness a student's success.

It's very exciting because we're just beginning. This is only Andrew's second talk in a college setting. This is our second "joint" effort, though the talk was all his. We are in the process of putting together our first truly collaborative project, a seminar series on self-healing, where we will share our knowledge with people as co-presenters. I am certain we will co-inspire each other to be better with each endeavor.

For now, I can only say THANK YOU to Andrew for his warmth, talent, inspiration and generosity and to Sam and Erin for giving so sincerely of themselves for the benefit of all of us who had the privilege to be part of this special evening.


*Lisa's Video Pick of the Day*
One of my favorite Josh Rubin videos!
click here or click below