I remember when I first started training in karate I was so eager to learn and practice. I came to practice early and stayed late for years. Then, one day, my teacher through me for a loop. I came in dressed up and ready to train. He told me that today I had to teach. My heart started racing and crazy thoughts ran through my head. He lowered his tone and said, for years you have trained and you have had the opportunity to train with all of the black belts in our school. So now, they can train and you can work with the beginners and train after you teach.I felt like I did the first time that I got kicked below the belt in training. I thought that I had done something wrong and was being punished. Also, I foolishly thought that I would just teach that day and it was all over....not.
My instructor told me what he wanted the students to learn and that it was up to me to teach it the way that I thought was best for the group. So, I did. I pulled out every trick and old lesson that I could remember. Then, I started to modify the lessons. Next, I started to make new lessons. My students started getting better and surprisingly so did I.
When he gave me the assignment of teaching, I never thought that it would make me better. I thought that my training would go down hill when I started. What I did not realize was that teaching helped to answer my questions and it made me pay more attention to the details in my own training and execution.
I share that story to say that any time you are looking or attempting to get better at something look back at it from the eyes of your teachers. Remember how they taught it to you. Explore all of the details. Which is why in a few elite businesses, they make managers work and train in every position before they can manage an operation. The other big lesson that I walked away with was to take the time, effort, and care into breaking things down.
Enjoy & Keep Training!
