It depends on what kind of investor you are
Before we look at what kind of investor you are, first let us look at the real purpose of enrolling a person in a martial arts class. In order to do that we have to look at some of the benefits associated with Martial Arts practice. Here is a list of the most sort after Self – defense, Self - Discipline, Concentration, Self – Control, Good Grades, Self – Esteem. As you can see martial arts is littered with what might be called SELF CONCEPTS. Put plainly, Martial Arts is a medium used to improve one’s life by bringing about behavior modification. Behavior is tricky because it is tied to one’s personality – the thing that allows people to recognize us as us – and is difficult to change (more on this in my next article). So to ask what kind of investor is someone is analogous to asking how badly do you want to change someone’s personality?
Passive investor
Passive investors don’t give the market a chance. Instead of taking the time to put together a solid long term investment plan, they take what little money they have, invest it hesitantly and at the first sign of trouble bailout. Passive martial arts investors are the kinds of people who move forward with an overwhelming degree of caution. They don’t buy uniforms, download class cards, make sure that their child comes to class on time and say things like, ”I can’t get him to practice” or, ” I told him to practice and he won’t do it.”
Passive investors see martial arts as a ride on a carousel of trial enrichment programs. Their attitude is, ”he said that he wanted to take karate so I thought I’d let him try it, after this, we’re going to try soccer, but if he likes it we’ll keep going”. The problem with this attitude is that it is doomed to failure from the start. The reason is that good martial art are incentives based programs that reward students regularly with badges, stripes on the belt, patches, and other awards. If a student without a uniform watches his classmates (some that they are better than) get awards while they don’t they will lose motivation to try and soon drop out.
It a recipe for failure. Lastly, and very important passive martial arts investors don’t encourage follow-through, instead, they let their child discontinue, not just karate, but most themes that are good for them because the child is not having fun. Which is a total disconnect because acquiring discipline is not fun ( there I said it).
Aggressive investor
Aggressive stock market investors are very loss prone. They are not in the market for long term wealth or financial independence at some later date, they are in it for what they can get out of it now.
These adrenaline junkies run around the stock market chasing tip after tip hoping to get in on the bottom of initial stock offerings, make money and move on to the next stock. With greed as their motivating factor, these investors use a single-shot approach, investing all or most of their money in one stock at a time, which guarantees huge losses if the stock falls. Because of this, they spend many a sleepless night watching the stock market guardedly ready to pull their money out at the first sign of trouble.
In martial arts, there are individuals who chase belts with the same fervor. Their personal reputation and the reputation of Martial Arts means nothing to them. These people don’t care about the benefits the martial arts gives to individuals who live its experience: sound judgment, good character, moral leader, or feeling of deep responsibility to the community. Without concern for martial arts legacy, they mount an attack on the Martial Arts status in the world in an attempt to get what they want from it. They collect belt after belt as fast as they can with little regard for whether their child is actually Martial Arts functional morally and physically. The Martial Arts Code Of Honor (Bushido) means nothing to them as in their wake they leave a ruinous impression on the image of what Martial Arts has to offer.
In all but the accidental cases, in their rush to add Black Belt to their children’s resume’- so that it can open doors for them when they reach adulthood – aggressive investors children never acquire more than superficial amounts of discipline, leadership, moral standing or workplace ethics (the kinds of tangible values that make solid Martial Artist sought after all over the world). Responsible Martial Arts practitioners understand (over a period of time) that Martial Arts is a “give and take” experience with loyal practitioners giving back to the Martial Arts as much as they have been given in the form of lifestyle role modeling. On the other hand children of aggressive investors leave a bad taste for what Martial Arts can in the mouths of Employers, Deans and Recruiters for institutions of wealth and social, political advancement.
Steady as we go
The last kind of stock market investor is the “steady as we go” kind. These investors enter the market with long term goals in mind. They understand that the market is volatile, has ups and downs and is in it for the long haul. Most of these people understand that they are the lucky ones with incomes that allow them to take advantage of one of America’s greatest gifts, the ability for its citizens to take part in its inherent growth and wealth. Steady as you go investors understand that in America real estate and the Stock Market are the wealth-builders in America and take the time to educate themselves before and as they invest in an effort to stay on top flows.
While most, if not all, are savvy enough to hire professionals to guide them along they all know that if they can just hang in their bridge to a life free from fear of financial disaster and ruin will be build in just a few short years. Most hang their retirements on it. Steady as we go investors for their children in the Martial Arts have the same mentality. They know that if they have a good instructor the tangible benefits that their child will receive from their Martial Arts experience will outweigh any other gift that they can give them. Because they are educated/savvy investors they know that developing a Martial Arts lifestyle will ensure a good education, good job, good health, and a great life to the person or persons that they hold the dearest.
So they reinforce what the instructor is teaching at home, encourage home practice to enhance positive lifestyle and discourage dropping out when the going gets tough. They understand that while taking a test will bring about pride, waiting to test will ensure not only deep-rooted positive progress but the functional acquisition of skills needed to become a story of success.
Lastly, because of tools established by their instructor: community service badges, support awards, report cards, etc. they know that not only is the program working, but when the time comes for their child to represent what they have espoused in their resume’ he or she will do themselves and their parents proudly.
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