Robert H. Goddard

Robert H. Goddard was a brilliant rocket scientist for whom the NASA facility in Greenbelt Maryland is named.  One of my favorite quotes of his is,

“It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.” 

This is very powerful statement and I want to explain how I think it relates perfectly to karate. 

For most people, the thought of getting a blackbelt is impossible.  The amount of time, effort, training, etc. is very daunting.  Most endeavors of substance usually are.  But, I believe that most people think that earning a blackbelt is even harder than most other accomplishments because it has an allure of requiring the individual to be ultra-skilled. 

But, for the people who dream of becoming a blackbelt, they must take the first step.  Deciding that getting a blackbelt is your goal and then beginning to work towards that goal is how you start.  You sign up and you show up, and your journey begins.

As time goes by and you gain some skills, the dream turns into hope.  You no longer think it is an impossible journey, but one that is attainable with dedication and patience.  You see that over time, with good, consistent attendance to class, and practicing what the instructor is teaching, you can gain the skills necessary to improve, and those improvements will eventually lead to advancement in the ranks.

Finally, after many years of dedication and hard work, you get your blackbelt.  Your initial dream turned into a hope, and then you made it into a reality.  There is no magic that happened; just determination and effort put towards a goal that over time turned into something very special.

So, whenever you think that something is impossible, remember this quote and this story.  You might find that what you think is impossible now, is simple the light that will shine in your eyes to inspire you to take the first steps necessary on the journey towards making the impossible a reality. 

-Coach David-