The Value of (Seemingly) Impossible Goals

At the end of an ESD Global Level 1 training, trainees leave with the knowledge and tools they need to teach a ten-hour Empowerment Self Defense Course.

You read that right. A ten-hour course. After less than a week.

I know it sounds crazy. It is, and I promise you I know that.

I also promise you that it’s been suggested to me that we make things a little easier by making the end result the ability to teach a three or four-hour class.

To which I say no. Without any hesitation.

Why?

Let me use an example from IMPACT to explain.

In every IMPACT class, there’s that one “fight from hell” that goes on and on. And on. And on….

You’re put through this totally unrealistic fight, knowing that no guy who’s been kicked in the head and the groin thirty times would be able to get up and keep going.

The goal is for you to know you did it. To know that there’s always one more kick in you.

The goal is for you to know you did it. To know that there’s always one more kick in you.

Because there are times in life when you might have to do “one more kick” many times.

If you weren’t pushed to get to a place of “one more kick” beyond what you thought you could do, wouldn’t the first two hits feel much harder?

If you only practice “two hits and he’s gone,” what happens if you need to do three? Or five?

I’d rather you practice fifty. Even if you never need to strike fifty times, isn’t it good to know you can?

Back to the Level 1 trainings. If I tell you, “This week, I’m going to teach you how to teach a three-hour class?” Easy peasy, right? But if I tell you I’m going to teach you to run a ten-hour class? OMG.

That’s the thing with (seemingly) impossible goals. Without the feeling of “this is impossible,” you wouldn’t have the ferocity to succeed.

That’s the thing with (seemingly) impossible goals. Without the feeling of “this is impossible,” you wouldn’t have the ferocity to succeed.

So you see? The proof is in the pudding.

P.S. We are proud of the number of trainees who have gone on to teach ten-hour courses. Some have even gone beyond that.