佚名/Anonymous
On 31st January 2005, two students from my martial arts school took tests to gain important qualifications in the modern martial art of Choikwangdo.
Choikwangdo is a martial art which concentrates on self-defence, health and success in general. It was founded in 1987 by Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi who lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
Mick was testing for black belt and Nicky was testing for second degree black belt.
Both had been training for years to reach these goals. They had passed one smaller grading after another until they were near the top of the ladder ready to take a big step to a new level.
They had a deadline every one or two months to aim at when the next minor grading would take place. The reward of passing the grading and the fear of failing it also pushed them on.
The standard martial arts escalator of reaching one belt after another is a powerful and systematic motivator.
Both Mick and Nicky were role models to everyone in the way they achieved their goals.
After Christmas they stepped up their training to the point where they were oblivious of all else except what they needed to know for the big test.
They attended all the available lessons and spent most of those single-mindedly focusing on their test syllabus. One of the top instructors, John, spent hours teaching and helping them both.
Mick and Nicky both showed a quiet but unstoppable determination in the actual test.
At one point Mick hit one of the focus mitts or pads which are used as a target with the weaker part of his hand and dislocated his little finger.
It was sticking out at an angle which made most people gasp in horror. Mick was concentrating so much on achieving his black belt that he did not hesitate for a moment. He rushed over to me, held out his hand and said,
"Go for it."
I was as stunned as anyone else by the dislocation but under the influence of his confidence that I could put things right, grabbed his hand and yanked his little finger away from the rest of his hand for about a quarter of an inch(in the direction it was now pointing) and then relaxed my grip.
Mercifully, his finger popped back into place and he continued with his grading without batting an eyelid. Two of the other black belts thoughtfully bandaged his injured finger to another finger so that he would be less likely to damage it again.
Both Mick and Nicky were exhausted by the end of the grading but their determination and desire to achieve their goals carried them through.
Their friends in the class gave them continuous encouragement as well and a standing ovation when they achieved their first and second degree black belts.
The first line of the pledge in Choikwangdo is:"To set positive goals and strive to achieve them."
Both Mick and Nicky achieved their goals by first having a keen desire to reach the prestigious award of a black belt and, in Nicky's case, a second degree black belt.
They then reached these awards through:
A clear vision of what they wanted;
Belief that they could achieve their goals;
Monthly and two monthly deadlines in which to achieve the next step on the ladder;
Regular training and grading which built up their momentum and confidence step by step;
Long hours of consistent preparation with others and on their own;
A lazer like focus on what they needed to know and do;
A ferocious determination to keep going whatever happened;
The encouragement and support of their friends and instructors.
They can of course be applied to achieving any goal in life and the first line of the Choikwangdo pledge (mentioned above) provides a great mission statement for anyone, whether they are a martial artist or not.
"To set positive goals and strive to achieve them."
2005年1月31日，為了獲取崔光道現代武術資格證書，我們武術學校的兩名學生參加了測試。
崔光道武術集自衛、健康和成功於一體，由崔光道大師於1987年創立。崔光道現居住於喬治亞的亞特蘭大。
米克參加的是黑帶測試，而尼基參加的是二級黑帶測試。
為實現各自的目標，他們都接受了多年的艱苦訓練。他們通過了一級又一級的級別考試，終於接近到最高級別，並準備跨上一個更高的層次。
他們製定目標，每一個或兩個月就要通過更高級別的小測試。通過級別考試後的獎勵以及對於失敗的恐懼也鼓舞著他們不斷前進。
一條接一條地拿到普通武術學校的段級標識帶，是激勵學員們不斷進步的強大動力。
在實現自己目標的路上，米克和尼基是每一位學員的榜樣。
聖誕節過後，他們進入到大考的訓練中。訓練中，他們要將所有的事情都拋至腦後，隻需要知道有關大考的事情。
所有對考試有用的課程，米克與尼基都會去參加，並把大部分的精力都集中在測試大綱上。頂級教練約翰也花費很多時間給他們講授比賽知識，給他們提供幫助。
在真正的考試中，米克和尼基都表現得很平靜，但是獲勝的信心很堅定。
比賽中，米克在用手部比較柔弱的部位擊打目標的手套或襯墊靶子時，不慎造成小指脫臼。
脫臼的小指鼓了起來，人們驚慌地屏住了呼吸。然而，米克是那樣專心地要拿到勝利的黑帶，以至於他沒有片刻猶豫。米克跑到我的麵前，伸出那隻手對我說：
“試一下。”
我同他人一樣，被受傷的小手指弄得膽戰心驚，但是在他對我的信任的影響下，我還是拉過他的手，將小手指猛地向外拉出四分之一英寸，然後，他放開了我的手。
幸好，他的手指複位了，於是，他毫不猶豫地回到了比賽中。另外兩名黑帶級選手細心地將他受傷的小指與無名指綁在一起，這樣再次傷到它的可能性就降低了。
測試結束時，米克和尼基都已精疲力竭，但是實現目標的決心與期望支撐著他們堅持到最後。
他們的同學也一直在鼓勵他們。當他們拿到第一條和第二條黑帶時，同學們開心地站起來為他們歡呼。
崔光道現代武術的第一條訓言是：“樹立明確的目標，並努力實現。”
米克與尼基都實現了自己的目標，他們首先擁有了要拿到赫赫有名的黑帶的熱切渴望，而尼基是要獲得二級黑帶的殊榮。
因此，他們的回報是這樣得來的：
對自己的渴望有清醒的認識；
擁有實現目標的信心；
為自己的目標設定期限；
正規的訓練和測試逐步增強了自己的動力與信心；
在他人的幫助以及自己的努力下，為測試做了長時間的準備；
拋開雜念，一心想著需要知道的事情，一心去做需要做的事情；
有堅定的決心，無論發生什麽事，都決心堅持下去；
有朋友和教練的支持與鼓勵。
這些當然也能夠應用到生活裏任何目標的奮鬥中。崔光道現代武術的第一條訓言（前麵提到的）為每一個人，無論他是否習武，提出了一項艱巨的任務。
“樹立明確目標，並努力實現。”
qualification[?kw?lifi?kei??n]n.資格；條件；限製
What qualification is needed to do this work?
從事這項工作需要什麽樣的資格？
prestigious[?pres?ti:d??s]adj.享有聲望的；聲望很高的
If you expect to enter this prestigious university, you should apply now.
如果期望進入這所著名學府，你現在就應該申請了。
ferocious[f??r?u??s]adj.殘忍的；凶猛的
After ferocious rows, he kicked the man to death.
劇烈的爭吵之後，他把那個人踢死了。
pledge[pled?]n.保證；誓言；抵押；抵押品
Take this ring as a pledge of our friendship.
請接受這個戒指作為我們友誼的信物。
樹立明確的目標，並努力實現。
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對自己的渴望有清醒的認識；擁有實現目標的信心；為自己的目標設定期限。
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有堅定的決心，無論發生什麽事，都決心堅持下去。
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Choikwangdo is a martial art which concentrates on self-defence, health and success in general.
concentrate on：集中在；專心於
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They had a deadline every one or two months to aim at when the next minor grading would take place.
aim at：瞄準；指望；目的在於
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