Learning to Fly

A personal, huge MOMENT OF TRUTH is approaching for me and my dojo, folks. An opportunity to expand our dojo from its current footprint (a "whopping" 840 square feet on the second story in the back corner of an old industrial building - yep, that's a grand 520 feet of training space) to a stand-alone 2,500 square foot building with parking and visibility from the street (Not to mention changing rooms, bathrooms, an office, a lobby area, and all the other amenities that you'd expect to find an a professional martial arts institution)!

(Team, you can ask Hal Gustin about my dojo. he's been there!)

This is something I've wanted to happen for years now. Something that would enable us to take our dojo to an entirely new level. Something that I believe would be nothing short of AMAZING.

So, what's the problem? Well, tripling our size would mean tripling our rent, and even though the landlord is willing to be flexible with a graduated ramp-up rent schedule, I'm absolutely terrified. I can't see how I'll make it all WORK, and I'm hesitating.

I have rationalized all the reasons why I should turn and run from this challenge, all the reasons why I should continue to hide my light — and the light of my students — in the back corner. But it's go or no-go time. THIS is MY Ultimate Black Belt test, my biggest goal. It's the main reason why I signed up for this $%*&! adventure in the first place. I know that all I really need to do is increase the size of my VISION, and then take the leap of faith (and learn how to fly before I hit the ground).

It's time for me to put up or shut up. It's time for me to either step up, or shut down the dojo and walk away — and forget about teaching the martial arts at all.

Teammates, I need your support, your encouragement, your experience — and, perhaps, a gentle, compassionate nudge off the edge of this cliff that I find myself standing on!

Help!