Goal Setting: this month’s life skill
Unleashing Your Child’s Potential through Goal Setting
Goal setting is one of the most highly linked characteristics to the success that individuals have. Top athletes and successful people all use goal setting. And while it is a trait that is most often associated with adolescents and adults, younger children can also benefit greatly from beginning this life skill at an early age. At American Family Martial Arts our karate classes have built in goal setting with our use of the belt ranking system.
Learning how to set reasonable and attainable goals is a valuable lesson for children of all ages. Studies show that goal setting helps children improve their self-discipline and self-awareness. It also increases their internal drive so that they stay motivated to complete the goals they set for themselves. By accomplishing their goals, children’s self-confidence automatically increases, and they have more motivation towards setting future goals.
For children, even ones in kindergarten, that are just beginning to set goals, it is important that they have tangible and immediate successes to keep them motivated. Goal setting should also be fun so that they will stay interested and continue setting goals throughout their lives. This will help them build the habits necessary to achieve important goals as they continue into adulthood. Learn more about helping children set age appropriate goals.
In the SKILLZ program, short- and long-term goal setting and achievement are at the very core of it. The goals are not intended to create pressure on the student, but rather to encourage them to do their best so that learning and effort is valued. Because SKILLZ utilizes game-based learning in this process, the students have fun while they put effort towards the drills. By setting these goals and achieving them, the students will unleash their potential. 
Learn more about game based learning at American Family Martial Arts:
Game based learning for teenagers
Game based learning for ages 7-9 year olds
Game based learning for Little Ninjas (ages 5-6)
Game based learning for kindergartners
By using the SKILLZ program, American Family Martial Arts, addresses short term goals in class each day. Students are trained on a different skill according to their age group. At the end of the class, the students are given an opportunity to perform the skill for the instructor. When they have completed this skill successfully, they earn a stripe for their belt. These short-term achievements keep them motivated to continue to set new goals for themselves and work to accomplish them.
As the students work towards earning all eight stripes on their belt during karate classes in Baton Rouge or Prairieville, they are ultimately working towards their long-term goals for the testing cycle. The long-term goal accomplishment will be finalized through testing where the students will perform all skills they have learned and, finally, receive the next belt in their level. American Family Martial Arts reviews the life skill of goal-setting as part of our karate classes. Each month features a different life skill.
American Family Martial Arts – Monthly Life skill blogs: BE IN THE KNOW!
Self Discipline
Integrity
Self Confidence
But not only does SKILLZ utilize the stripes and belt system, it also incorporates additional goals that students can work towards. This includes being a part of the STORM Team, which is a leadership program. Once children reach a certain rank and age, they move into our traditional style of Tang Soo Do and are on the path to earning a Black Belt at American Family Martial Arts.
To succeed in life, we must know exactly what it is we are trying to do. This is the first and foremost secret of successful people – a secret we give as a gift to our students when we teach them how to set goals. By doing this, we are creating positive habits of setting goals that will carry over into adulthood.
Set your goal with American Family Martial Arts with our trial program and bring your child to FOUR classes to get them started on their journey in martial arts!
