Learn from history by discussing it.
Week three of our rotating curriculum here at AKF Lexington Martial Arts reserves time for us to discuss and learn from history. The reason for this is simple. Understanding how we got somewhere can help us treasure the experience and respect the results. Understanding mistakes that were made can help us avoid them or prepare us for proper responses to failure in the future. History is who we are, whether we want to admit it, accept it or not.
Learn from history, it will define you.
How we react to our own life challenges and successes will dictate the history we leave behind. For example, it is important to many of us to remind ourselves that the failures we have had in life should not be view entirely negatively. Even those that seemed life changing or embarrassing at the time. Without those negative experiences, we would not be as determined as we are now to be better every day.
Learn from history to create your future.
We should all strive to be better at the end of the day than we were at the start of the day. Without history we would have no bench mark. This morning is history and we are living to find a future, end of the day, which leaves us in a better place. If the average result of this effort is success, imagine what is possible!
A brief Kyuki-Do History as a starting point to understanding where we came from.
Kyuki-do is a martial art that primarily incorporates elements of Tae Kwon Do, Hapikdo and Judo. Kyuki-Do was introduced to the United States by Grand Master Ok Hyung Kim, the founder of the art. Grand Master Kim began teaching martial arts in the US in 1967 and went on to found the American Kyuki-do Federation in 1979. (*The Art of Kyuki-do pg. 9)
The knowledge taught by Kyuki-do is unlimited; the more that we learn, the more we realize how little we actually know. The more our imperfection is revealed to us, the more we understand the deeper nature of the art. The student of Kyuki-do must be devoted to the pursuit of the perfection of their own character. Perfection is, of course, a goal that can never be fully attend, but the students who devote themselves to endlessly strive for this goal will find that they will continue to become better, stronger, healthier people. Progress in Kyuki-Do is measured in the student’s physical and mental development, their humility, their self-control and their unwavering commitment to the goal of personal perfection. (*The Art of Kyuki-do pg. 9)
Take your Pick of quotes to start Learning from history.
“History is written by the victors.”
“I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.”
John Maynard Keynes
“Ideas shape the course of history.”
William Shakespeare
“There is a history in all men’s lives.”
Mark Twain
“The very ink with which history is written is merely fluid prejudice.”
Alexander Smith
“I go into my library and all history unrolls before me.”
Robert Heinlein
“A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.”
“A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.”
Stephen Covey
“Live out of your imagination, not your history.”
“We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower
“Things have never been more like the way they are today in history.”
In my podcast https://anchor.fm/akf-lexington I will discuss my thoughts on some of the above quotes but for today this BLOG it is my intention to leave them there for you to consider and move along.
Learning from history isn’t all about famous quotes, but….
What famous quotes stick in your head. I think the quote I remember the most often is; ‘Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.’ Now, admittedly I am one of those people who says; wait a minute, what if I want to repeat it? I would then argue that point until someone brought me back to the topic that was intended.
In classes here at AKF Lexington Martial Arts, the goal is to pay tribute to those who have come before us and given of themselves for our benefit. It is also to learn from those who have gone before us and demonstrated both admirable and non-admirable approaches to life’s paths.
Learn from history in martial arts classes?
To put it very very simply, we encourage our students, and ourselves, to pay attention! That’s it! Pay attention!
Rather than going through your day from moment to moment and having no clear memory of any one moment, pick one or pick three and PAY ATTENTION.
What moment or three do you remember from yesterday? None? Then pay attention, and don’t over do it either! Remembering every single moment of the day is counterproductive as well. Pick one or three! Keep it memorable and manageable.
What is your why? Why are you learning your history? So you can be grumpy or miserable? I hope not. Most of us decide to learn our history so that we can become better, stronger, happier versions of ourselves.
When you pick out your one or three moments from your day to learn from, it would then also be necessary to take a look at the positive side or positive potential hidden within that moment. Learn what made that moment great and work to remember how to repeat it.
In the case of a bad moment, identify the good that came from it and work toward nurturing that or more likely identify what you could have done to allow for a better moment. Not what someone else could have done! You can not control them, you can only control you. Identify what you could have done and work toward making that change in your next opportunity.
History can be complex or simple. Keep it simple until you love it. Take little steps until the full stride takes hold. Learn and keep an open mind, for those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.