" I cannot do everything, but I can still do something.
I will not refuse to the something I can do!"
- Helen
Keller
In his autobiography Why Not the Best? President Jimmy Carter tells
about his interview with Admiral Hyman Rickover, the father of the
nuclear Navy, who served on active duty until he was 83 years old.
Admiral Rickover personally interviewed every prospective nuclear
officer and he made the interviews tough on the novice officers.

When President Carter had his interview, the Admiral asked him what
his standing was in his graduating class at the Naval Academy.
President Carter said "I swelled my chest with pride and answered,
sir, I stood 59th in a class of 820!" and then I sat back to wait for
the congratulations.

Instead of congratulations, the Admiral asked, "Did you do your
best?" President Carter said he started to answer "Yes sir," but he
thought about who he was talking to, gulped, and admitted, "No sir, I
didn't always do my best." President Carter said the Admiral just
looked at him for the longest time and then asked only one more
question, which the President said he has never been able to forget,
and which he was never able to answer—the Admiral asked, "Why not?"

If you are not the best, it does not mean you are a failure. If you
are not the best you can be, it does not mean you are a failure. You
are only a failure when—you do not try to be the best you can be. If
you are not willing to do your best while training in Taekwondo, then
do not waste your time. If Taekwondo is to have a real meaning in
your life, you must dedicate yourself to trying to do your best every
time you train or compete. As the Army slogan says "Be the best you
can be."

Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States in the early
1900's, was a true warrior. He recruited his own U.S. Army regiment,
the famous Rough Riders, to fight in the Spanish American War of
1898. During his charge up San Juan Hill during the war, he cried
out "I'm going to take that hill! Who's coming with me?" His credo is
an inspiration to Taekwondo students seeking to be the best.

It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points our how the
strong man stumbled, or now the doer of deeds could have done better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose
face is marred by sweat and dust and blood; who errs and comes short
again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great
devotions, and spends himself in worthy causes; who at the best,
knows in the end of the triumph of high achievement, and who at the
worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his
place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither
victory or defeat.

To be the best requires perseverance. The following quote is
attributed to Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States in the
1920s.

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will
not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius
will not; un-rewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education alone
will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and
determination alone are omnipotent.

Thoughts on perseverance are also found in a poem found in Chicken
Soup For The Kids Soul by Jereme Durkin.

Don't be a coward, fearful and weak
Be the last one to quit, and the first one to speak
Don't hide your face from the light of day
Be courageous in life and stay that way
No need to run from your trials, troubles, and problems
Have confidence in your step as you reflect how to solve them
Yet, if you happen to fall, don't lie there and die
Get up without thought, and hold your head up high
Be wise, courageous, bold and brave
And life will be worth living from your birth to your grave.

While striving to be the best, beware of pride. The following is
adapted from Animal Walk, Julia C. White, 1996.

Legend has it that the peacock was born pure white. In the bird
kingdom, he felt out-of-place amidst the glorious plumage all around
him.

Great Spirit gave the peacock a mission: to travel the earth seeking
out evil and negativity and to absorb that contrary energy into his
own body so that it would not spread. Peacock was told that he would
be rewarded.

So peacock set out upon his mission. As he performed his duties, he
began to notice that his feathers began to take on beautiful colors.
He spread his tail for a better look and sure enough, he was turning
into a magnificent, colorful bird. Delighted, he really went about
his work with gusto.

The harder peacock worked, the more beautiful he became. Then one day
he looked down at his feet and squawked in horror. He had the ugliest
feet in the bird kingdom!

So, when you see the glorious peacock, remember the mission he was
given and the work he did to earn those colors. The perfectly formed
circles, or "eyes", on each feather are to watch for still more
negativity. When you hear that horrific squawk, you will know he just
looked down and saw his feet. The feet were Spirit's way of telling
peacock not to get prideful and let ego stand in the way of his true
work.

How to be the best you can be

Set goals: set attainable goals. As you reach one, set a higher one.
Keep your goals firmly in mind to maintain motivation.

Keep an open-mind: stay receptive to everything, not just things in
which your are interested.

Stay committed: being the best you can be requires hard work and
commitment.

Practice: practice at every opportunity and make opportunities to
practice more.

Stick to the basics: basic techniques are the foundations of
Taekwondo. Even a master is judged on how well he or she performs
basic techniques.

Listen and observe: you can learn a lot from others;be they masters,
beginners, or just ordinary people.

Self-discipline: keep focused on your training and learning. Stay
focused on your goals and persevere through pain, injury, losses,
depression, and discouragement.

Comprehend: question and analyze all movements and techniques until
you understand when, where, and how to use each one.

Stay fit: build strength, power, flexibility, stamina, speed,
control, and coordination.

Fight boredom: vary your training routine. Do not become too
dependent on a particular method. Cross-train in complementary sports.

Feel the energy: be aware of and be one with your internal energy as
you train.

Adapt: when barriers to your training occur, find ways around them.

Learn from your mistakes: do not dwell on mistakes, fix what caused
the mistake, learn from the experience, and continue.

Be patient: achieving excellence takes time. As long as your are
progressing, you are getting closer to your goal.

Limitations: accept your limitations. Know your strengths and
weaknesses. Do not try to keep up with others, work within your
capabilities

Self-confidence: believe in yourself and do not let others deter you
from your goals.

Seek guidance: never think you have all the answers. Seek guidance
from others to learn more.

Other styles: do not be style specific. Taekwondo is your primary art
but other martial arts have much to offer. Maintain your Taekwondo
foundation but use what works for you even if it comes from another
art.

Concentrate on specifics: break down a technique into its individual
components and concentrate on each specific movement.

Think positive: keep a positive mental attitude. Do not let anything
stop you from reaching you goals.