Phase testing and other thoughts

   This is my first post, and I'm still getting used to this, so I will be switching topics a lot.

   

   The phase testing is coming up, and it will be our first time to show what we've got.  I'm very excited for this opportunity because I know everyone will give it their all.  It will be fun to see everyone at their best. During the Collective Synergy test, we didn't have phase testing.  It was really hard to keep up with everything without those checkpoints.  I feel like these checkpoints will help us grow stronger, and will sharpen our technique.

    

   After looking through some old papers, I came across a good quote I first saw in 8th grade.  It was from one of my band teachers, and it says, 

     "I hereby promise to begin today to manifest the personal greatness that lies inside of me to improve the quality of my life: to learn more, to laugh more, to share more and to risk more.  I control my personal destiny and recognize that if it is to be, it's up to me.  Today's the day I summon the courage to face my fears, and turn them into the stepping stones of my success.  I will be the prisoner of nothing, because I am someone special.  And I will live my life at level 10 every day, every time, without fail, no exceptions."

     I feel that this quote can apply to many things, but I think that this black belt journey is a good example.  One of the main parts of the quote was, "I control my personal destiny... it's up to me."  The black belt test is what you make of it.  It's like the poem Attitude by Charles Swindoll.  You are in charge of your attitude.  You are in charge of what you make of this test.

   My affirmation this year is from this quote.  It is "Stepping Stones."  I chose this because I know that the journey does not end after this test.  Each black belt test is not the mark of the end of a journey; it is the mark of the completion of a small portion.  Stepping stones are like these tests.  It takes one to get you in the river, but many to get you out.  Once you take that first step, you must keep going.  These small steps will help you reach your goals.  I joined the Forged testing team in order to continue my journey.  I hopped onto the first stepping stone.  Now I must continue on in order to succeed.

   The last part of the quote explains the expectation of a Level 10 performance every day.  I know that as a team, we are capable of putting in that energy, putting in the intensity and hard work, every day.  I feel that this phase testing will be a great one, and everyone will show up with a Level 10 performance.