Habits of Successful People

Mrs. J has been doing some fun reading this weekend and wanted to share this with everyone. Lifestyle magazine had published "50 Habits of Successful People." Enjoy!

Habits of successful people….
1. They look for and find opportunities where others see nothing.
2. They find a lesson while others only see a problem.
3. They are solution focused.
4. They consciously and methodically create their own success, while others hope success will find them.
5. They are fearful like everyone else, but they are not controlled or limited by fear.
6. They ask the right questions – the ones which put them in a productive, creative, positive mindset and emotional state.
7. They rarely complain (waste of energy). All complaining does is put the complainer in a negative and unproductive state.
8. They don’t blame (what’s the point?). They take complete responsibility for their actions and outcomes (or lack thereof).
9. While they are not necessarily more talented than the majority, they always find a way to maximize their potential. They get more out of themselves. They use what they have more effectively.
10. They are busy, productive and proactive. While most are laying on the couch, planning, over-thinking, sitting on their hands and generally going around in circles, they are out there getting the job done.
11. They align themselves with like-minded people. They understand the importance of being part of a team. They create win-win relationships.
12. They are ambitious; they want amazing – and why shouldn’t they? They consciously choose to live their best life rather than spending it on auto-pilot.
13. They have clarity and certainty about what they want (and don’t want) for their life. They actually visualize and plan their best reality while others are merely spectators of life.
14. They innovate rather than imitate.
15. They don’t procrastinate and they don’t spend their life waiting for the ‘right time’.
16. They are life-long learners. They constantly work at educating themselves, either formally (academically), informally (watching, listening, asking, reading, student of life) or experientially (doing, trying)… or all three.
17. They are glass half full people – while still being practical and down-to-earth. They have an ability to find the good.
18. They consistently do what they need to do, irrespective of how they are feeling on a given day. They don’t spend their life stopping and starting.
19. They take calculated risks – financial, emotional, professional, psychological.
20. They deal with problems and challenges quickly and effectively, they don’t put their head in the sand. They face their challenges and use them to improve themselves.
21. They don’t believe in, or wait for fate, destiny, chance or luck to determine or shape their future. They believe in, and are committed to actively and consciously creating their own best life.
22. While many people are reactive, they are proactive. They take action before they have to.
23. They are more effective than most at managing their emotions. They feel like we all do but they are not slaves to their emotions.
24. They are good communicators and they consciously work at it.
25. They have a plan for their life and they work methodically at turning that plan into a reality. Their life is not a clumsy series of unplanned events and outcomes.
26. Their desire to be exceptional means that they typically do things that most won’t. They become exceptional by choice. We’re all faced with live-shaping decisions almost daily. Successful people make the decisions that most won’t and don’t.
27. While many people are pleasure junkies and avoid pain and discomfort at all costs, successful people understand the value and benefits of working through the tough stuff that most would avoid.
28. They have identified their core values (what is important to them) and they do their best to live a life which is reflective of those values.
29. They have balance. While they may be financially successful, they know that the terms money and success are not interchangeable. They understand that people who are successful on a financial level only, are not successful at all. Unfortunately we live in a society which teaches that money equals success. Like many other things, money is a tool. It’s certainly not a bad thing but ultimately, it’s just another resource.
30. They understand the importance of discipline and self-control. They are strong. They are happy to take the road less traveled.
31. They are secure. They do not derive their sense of worth of self from what they own, who they know, where they live or what they look like.
32. They are generous and kind. They take pleasure in helping others achieve.
33. They are humble and they are happy to admit mistakes and to apologise. They are confident in their ability, but not arrogant. They are happy to learn from others. They are happy to make others look good rather than seek their own personal glory.
34. They are adaptable and embrace change, while the majority are creatures of comfort and habit. They are comfortable with, and embrace, the new and the unfamiliar.
35. They keep themselves in shape physically, not to be mistaken with training for the Olympics or being obsessed with their body. They understand the importance of being physically well. They are not all about looks, they are more concerned with function and health. Their body is not who they are, it’s where they live.
36. They have a big engine. They work hard and are not lazy.
37. They are resilient. When most would throw in the towel, they’re just warming up.
38. They are open to, and more likely to act upon, feedback.
39. They don’t hang out with toxic people.
40. They don’t invest time or emotional energy into things which they have no control of.
41. They are happy to swim against the tide, to do what most won’t. They are not people pleasers and they don’t need constant approval.
42. They are more comfortable with their own company than most.
43. They set higher standards for themselves (a choice we can all make), which in turn produces greater commitment, more momentum, a better work ethic and of course, better results.
44. They don’t rationalize failure. While many are talking about their age, their sore back, their lack of time, their poor genetics, their ‘bad luck’, their nasty boss and their lack of opportunities (all good reasons to fail), they are finding a way to succeed despite all their challenges.
45. They have an off switch. They know how to relax, enjoy what they have in their life and to have fun.
46. Their career is not their identity, it’s their job. It’s not who they are, it’s what they do.
47. They are more interested in effective than they are in easy. While the majority look for the quickest, easiest way (the shortcut), they look for the course of action which will produce the best results over the long term.
48. They finish what they start. While so many spend their life starting things that they never finish, successful people get the job done – even when the excitement and the novelty have worn off. Even when it isn’t fun.
49. They are multi-dimensional, amazing, wonderful complex creatures (as we all are). They realize that not only are they physical and psychological beings, but emotional and spiritual creatures as well. They consciously work at being healthy and productive on all levels.
50. They practice what they preach. They don’t talk about the theory, they live the reality.

Which of these do you see in yourself? Which of these do you need to work on? Remember, success doesn't just happen. You create it by your ACTION. Leadership NOW!

Have you visited ATA's new Leadership NOW section on their website? Leadership collar students may use their ATA numbers for VIP log in.

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Last Belt Promotions of 2010

On December 22nd and 23rd, ATA Martial Arts of West Chester had it's largest number of students promote to new ranks yet. Over 150 students received new ranks. Many belts, collar uniforms, patches & headbands were earned as well as our first ever recommended black belt midterms. The original group that started with us two years ago are now gearing up for 1st Degree Decided Black Belt in February. Way to go everyone!

Parents' Day Out December 2010

Saturday, December 4, 2010 parents enjoyed a nice afternoon off courtesy of ATA Martial Arts. Many parents took advantage of our Parents' Day Off and let their children come to ATA for an afternoon of martial arts training, fun, food, and games. Most importantly, all the children made a very special thank you card for their parents thanking them for everything they do. Be on the lookout for our next Parents' Night Out event in February for Valentine's Day.

The Last Airbender

Don't forget to go see The Last Airbender this 4th of July weekend.
The movie stars ATA's own Noah Ringer, ATA black belt! Go with a friend to check it out. Inspired by the movie, then bring them into ATA West Chester to harness the power of martial arts training!
See the trailer here...
http://www.thelastairbendermovie.com/

Double Sshang Jeol Bong Training

ATA West Chester hosted it's first ever Double Sshang Jeol Bong Seminar at the school on April 30th! We had 2 classes. One was for the Tiny Tigers and the other was for the Juniors, Teens, & Adults. Both classes were a lot of fun. We did all 9 Double Sshang Jeol Bong drills as well as putting together some of our own personal free style forms for the last 10 minutes of the class. Second Degree Black Belt and 2009 Weapons World Champion Ms. Sharon Gladson was there to assist! We will now be working with this new training tool in our Leadership Classes. We had a blast!

Be on the lookout for ATA Martial Arts of West Chester at the Chester County Hospital's May Festival next weekend on May 15th and 16th. ATA will have an on stage demonstration on Saturday the 15th at 1PM. We will also be hosting our Community Day Open House on Saturday, May 22nd. For more information, call Miss Boulden or Mr. Jouan at 610.344.9370!

The Tree Is Firmly Rooted

The tree is firmly rooted in the Earth. ATA West Chester tested their first group of brown belts this past Saturday at Belt Promotion! We had over 100 students advance in belts and patches in presence of our Special Guest Judge, Master Karla Capobianco! Mr. Jouan and Miss Boulden felt very honored to have Master Capobianco share this great milestone with them.

At the conclusion of our High Rank Belt Promotion, Dr. Lorna Stuart from The Clinic in Phoenixville, was our Guest Attitude Judge. Dr. Stuart is a leader in our community because she provides health care for the uninsured. As the founder of The Clinic, Dr. Stuart has appeared in People magazine and on The Today Show. All February the students at ATA West Chester collected various items such as chapstick, soup, tea bags, thermometers, throat lozenges, tissues, and hand sanitizer for special Geusenheit Bags that Dr. Stuart hands out to her patients at The Clinic. We were able to put together a total of 40 bags and even had some extra items leftover to donate! ATA West Chester is very proud. For more information about The Clinic, please visit www.theclinicpa.org.

One Year Anniversary

Saturday, January 2, 2010 marked the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of ATA Martial Arts of West Chester! We celebrated by having a party after classes. Everyone dressed up and had the opportunity to relax with their ATA instructors and friends. The party was catered by Brother's Pizza & Pasta. We had baked ziti, salad, sandwiches, and pizza. We would like to thank everyone who came and are very excited for what is to come in year two!

Reaching Towards the Sky for New Heights

On December 23rd, Master Candidate Tim Chewning from New Jersey was our special guest judge at our Belt Promotion. We had over 85 students test for new belts and patches. There were many family members here to watch their loved ones earn one more belt before the year's end! We even had a special surprise visit from SANTA CLAUS! Our first group of students is now officially blue belts! How exciting! As always, everyone did a fantastic job!

Making the Season Bright

This was a month of giving back to the community. ATA Martial Arts of West Chester adopted 4 children through St. Agnes Parish and filled up a bag of Holiday gifts for each child. We also collected many gifts for the children's mothers and fathers. The gifts truly helped make the families' seasons brighter by allowing them to have new gloves, hats, clothes, scarfs, and other necessities so that they may live more comfortably this winter.

We also did our annual bell ringing for the Salvation Army this month. We stood in front of the West Goshen K-Mart for 4 hours on a Friday night and collected a lot of money. Although it was very cold outside, the Leadership Team was proud to represent ATA in uniform and spread Holiday cheer.

A special thanks to everyone who contributed a gift and helped ring bells!

Trunk-Or-Treat & Halloween Celebration

Friday, October 30th, the families of ATA West Chester celebrated Miss Boulden & Mr. Jouan's favorite time of year by Trunk-or-Treating and playing games. We had a Halloween Celebration inside the school as well as, Hayrides and Trunk-or-Treating outside the school. Everyone came in costume and enjoyed seeing Miss Boulden & Mr. Jouan dressed up as crazy doctors. The night concluded with a demonstration and tons more treats!

Also, the Thursday night before our celebration, we made our first appearance in the West Chester Halloween Parade and handed out over 500 goodies and treats to the children in the area. We broke boards and did special demonstrations throughout the night. A special thank you to Mr. Ciarlello, Mr. Salotti, & Mr. Herzog for making it possible for us to have a trailer of hay and for helping us stay safe while having fun!

Purple Belts in ATA West Chester

On Saturday October 24th, ATA West Chester hosted their 5th Belt Promotion since their Grand Opening on January 2nd. Seventy students demonstrated their skills and advanced to new belts. Everyone had a top notch performance and we are very excited to see the school's original students change to purple belt! We even had a student test for her 2nd degree black belt! It was an amazing event. Also, a special thank you to our sponsor Suntricity Power for being a part of our big day and handing out Gatorade to the students. The next promotion will be Wednesday, December 23rd! We look forward to seeing you there!

ATA Teams Up With The Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania

Each Friday of October and November, ATA West Chester has teamed up with the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania. We taught various workshops such as Kidz 'n Power, Introduction to Martial Arts Training, Bully Education, Girls Health & Fitness, & Self-Defense to the different troops in the area. The girls, ages 7-17, have really enjoyed Miss Boulden's guidance. Upon workshop completion, the girls received an ATA badge to display on their vests & sashes. Way to go girls! We cannot wait to host the workshops again next year!

1st Annual School Picnic

Yesterday was our first annual ATA West Chester school picnic at East Bradford Park. We had over 80 students and their families attend. We were fortunate enough to have the rain stop for us! We kicked off the picnic by introducting the jahng bong(long staff) to the students and having a seminar taught by Mr. Jouan. The students discovered that they really like the jahng bong as the newest leadership weapon for their training curriculum.
After the seminar everyone ate. We had so much food!!! The picnic was potluck, so that means that each family brought a dish to share. Some of the tasty foods were pulled pork, hamburgers, hotdogs, baked ziti, chicken fry, pasta salad, chili, cookies, brownies, and more. We ended up having so much food left over that we donated the extra food to Safe Harbor in West Chester. Safe Harbor provides hot meals and food for those less fortunate.
The picnic was a great chance to have the students and parents mingle outside of the school and off the mat. Many new friendships were made and many stomachs were filled!

Visit from Mr. Jason Morgan(A.G.R.E.E.)

On Wednesday, September 9, 2009(9-9-09) we celebrated the importance of the number 9 in the Korean culture by inviting special guest instructor and 4th degree black belt Mr. Jason Morgan to teach Leadership class to the Junior and Adult Leadership Team. Not only did Mr. Morgan give us all a great workout, but he challenged us to follow the ATA A.G.R.E.E. campaign and begin practicing more environmental self-defense outside of ATA. He asked each student to go home and write down 9 specific goals that they can do to help save the environment over the next 9 weeks and then hand it to Miss Boulden or Mr. Jouan. The first students to complete the task receive an ATA Go Green! badge as well as an individual post on the ATA Martial Arts of West Chester blog. Keep an eye out for these Go Green ambassadors!

For more about the ATA A.G.R.E.E. campaign visit http://atagreen.blogspot.com/.

Going Green!

On Saturday, August 29, 2009 ATA Martial Arts of West Chester promoted 60 students to new ranks with the highest ranks being green belts! Our sponsors were Kalei Learning & Brain Training Center as well as Brown's Clothing. We had 2008 ATA X-treme Weapons World Champion Miss Sarah Modiano of ATA Hamilton, NJ as our special guest judge. She demonstrated her dynamic bo staff form and also judged each student's performance at the test. We raffled off an authentic white Philadelphia Eagles Jackson jersey as well as a private lesson gift certificate in order to prepare for the upcoming Delaware Regional Tournament. A funtime was had by all who attended!

Also, check out our article in the Fall 2009 issue of the ATA World Magazine on page 10!

Summer--New Belts, New Leaders, New Schedule

This past weekend was a busy weekend at ATA Martial Arts of West Chester. Friday night we had our End of the School Year Parent's Night Out. It was a lot of fun! We did many martial arts workouts as well as playing kickball & dodgeball outside, eating pizza, and playing ninja reflex on the Wii. The children had a blast!
On Saturday morning we had our belt promotions for Tiny Tigers and then promotions for Junior, Teen, & Adult students immediately following. We had over 50 students acheive new ranks and reach new goals. We were very grateful to have Deputy Anthony Schubbeio from the West Chester Sheriff's Department to be our attitude judge.
Also, a special congratulations to Mr. Walker Holman for being the first student at ATA West Chester to earn his Junior Leadership collar. We are very proud of everyone who promoted and a special thank you to all the parents and families who make this all possible for your children and self.
After the belt promotions on Saturday, we did our annual Father's Day Workout. The dads did a great job and were very intense. The students loved training side by side with their dads and holding targets.
Monday started our new schedule! We now have intermediate classes for all the students who promoted to the camo belt level! We are very excited!

Mother's Day Workout

On Friday, May 8th, we had our first Mother's Day workout here at ATA West Chester. We had many students, moms, and even grandmothers come to the class. The students, moms, and grandmas did basic techniques and self-defense, held targets for one another, and even had the chance to put together the first four techniques of Songahm 1!! Some of the moms and grandmas can kick really high! We were very impressed.

A few of the moms and grandmas are attending regular class this week. All month of May any ATA mom can train for free in any beginner class! We look forward to seeing some new white belts in class. It is great to train with your family!!

We will see you at the next event, our open house, this Saturday, May 16th from 12PM-4PM. We will have many exciting classes and free WaWa food! We cannot wait!

Celebrating the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle's 25th Year Anniversary!

This past Saturday Mr. Jouan , Miss Boulden, fellow instructors from Region 110A, and a few students went to Citizen's Bank Park before the Phillies game(Go Phillies!) to help build excitement for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle's 25th Year Anniversary! Michaelangelo, Raphael, Donnatello, & Leonardo were all there posing for pictures. They also brought their party bus which served as a free mobile museum. The turtles are bringing themselves and the party bus to many other major US cities. The next stop on their tour will be in Detroit.

ATA & the Turtles had a great time doing many demonstrations to get the crowd fired up before the game. We gave out many free goodies including comic books, buttons, and masks. The turtles even made an appearance on the field too before the game started! How cool! Cowabunga!
For more information about the turtle's mobile tour or for more pictures, please visit www.ataonline.com/tmnt!

Regional Tournament in New Jersey

This past Saturday 10 students competed in a Regional Tournament in Lincroft, NJ. Each student did a fantastic job and went home with a trophy! We are so proud of our West Chester ATA students for trying something new and challenging themselves in their martial arts training. Tournaments are a great way to build confidence as well as measure the quality of technique and skill. We hope all of the students are excited to support the next tournament in July, and then Master Stewart's tournament in September. Let's bring home some hardware!

Sparring Seminar

Monday, April 6th was our first ever Sparring Seminar at ATA Martial Arts of West Chester. We were very lucky to have 4th degree black belt special guest from ATA Long Island, Miss Michele Boulden. Miss Michele Boulden, who is also Miss Maria Boulden's sister, did many beginner sparring drills with the students who have the ATA safety gear. The students worked on footwork, blocking and countering. Everyone worked out non-stop for the entire hour and it is safe to say that all in attendance worked up a good sweat! We know we will have some Pennsylvania State Sparring Champions in the next couple of years!