Digital Media Strategy
Digital Media Strategy
I was nine years old when I stepped into a Dojang for the first time. I wasn’t there for myself, my younger brother was going to give Taekwondo a try to determine if he liked it. I remember thinking how unfortunate it was that I was being dragged along, because when we arrived, I sat myself in the audience seats and reluctantly watched the class unfold. I was perfectly content to remain an uninterested onlooker, but when the Instructor noticed me, he encouraged me to participate. At first I was nervous, but I decided to accept the challenge, and stepped onto the mat to join the class. To my surprise, I enjoyed it. Just one try was all it took, and I knew from the bottom of my heart that Taekwondo was right for me. So, at nine years old I began to attend classes; three days a week, two hours each day.
Full confession: I was an awkward, clumsy kid who was barely able to stand up straight, let alone stand in a straight line at attention. I wasn’t comfortable asserting myself and my yells were more akin to a squeak than a roar. Those beginning days in class probably sparked amusement for my instructors, though they were careful not to let it show. In fact, their quiet support was instrumental in helping me begin to feel accepted and comfortable in my own skin.
As Bruce Lee is quoted as saying, “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” To say it was hard work was an understatement. I couldn’t have possibly imagined how much effort I would have to put forth to be a martial artist. It took time, repetition, and hours upon hours of practice to learn even one poomsae (form) and even longer to learn the vast amount of Korean vocabulary used in class. I was consistently challenged, both physically and mentally, every time I set foot on the mat. I stood tirelessly in line, performing the same kick over and over until my knees felt weak. I performed poomsae until I could do it with my eyes closed, and then, I would do it again. I never knew what I would be practicing each day, but I knew it would be important nonetheless; some nights, class was nothing but hand strikes and other nights, class was focused on teamwork. No matter what kick I practiced, how many punches I threw out, or how many laps I had to run- I remained undeterred.
And I’m glad that I did. There were many times that I felt like quitting – like hanging up my belt and walking away. Despite that, I kept pushing forward. Yes, it was extremely challenging, but I knew that it was making me a better person. I learned patience, respect, and through it all, the will to keep going even when I failed. Not every poomsae was perfectly executed, and not every kick was graceful, but I knew that despite the rough edges and the intermittent mistakes, they were steps on the path to success. Standing there as a young child, I cried during my yellow belt test over a board, but I broke that board in the end. Now, I break concrete with my hands. It hurts and leaves marks on my palms, but I don’t mind. I know that I can do it. I have persisted, and I will continue to persevere to mold myself into the best version of me that I can be.
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