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In March of this year, I earned my Black Belt in Taido Karate. It was an 8-year journey and, like any journey, it had its times of ups and downs.  There were days I had doubts about my mental and physical ability to accomplish my goal.

Recently a friend asked me, “Where do you go now that you have your black belt?”

In marshal arts, there’s always a next step – something new to learn, and plenty of opportunities to improve. Once I became a Black Belt, I realized there was a lot more to learn as a Black Belt than I had learned in the process of achieving that goal.

We take this approach with our National Party Bands™. There is always a next step in many areas – the addition of new songs, new arrangements, different lighting, better sound and dazzling promotion – just to name a few.

When we have a goal we want to achieve, we can become overwhelmed as to what to do next. One of the great lessons I learned from my Karate training, is to show up for class focused on the challenge that’s in front of me at that moment, and do my best. I knew the end result I wanted was to achieve the coveted Black Belt, but I had to stay focused on the next step, and then the next step. One day at a time.

When we take steps towards our goals, we build momentum that makes it easier to take the next step. By taking the next step, and then the next, we get time on our side to help us achieve our goals.

Every week in our rehearsal studio in downtown Atlanta, our bands are taking that next step towards becoming the best at what they do. The great actor, writer and director, Woody Allen, said, “90% of success is showing up.”

We can never know if we will reach the goals we set for ourselves when we start out. I enjoy the process of finding out if I can create what matters to me. Creating and achieving our goals is a skill we can develop over time . . . with practice. When you think about your goals, ask yourself, “What is the next step I can take right now?”

Then, I challenge you to take it.

Dennis