If you saw the movie Robin Hood (2010) featuring Russel Crowe and Cate Blanchett, you are quite familiar with the core message of the film, a message applicable to every human being in every age regardless of gender, culture, race, religion, language or nationality.

That message, encrypted on the hilt of Robin Hood’s sword, is: RISE & RISE AGAIN UNTIL LAMBS BECOME LIONS.

Such a message reminds us to never quit, never give up, ever, and if we fall down to get back up and keep going until we succeed. It is the natural order of success in any endeavor. It is a universal truth reminding us of its simple but powerful life lesson: Rise & Rise Again Until Lambs Become Lions, until we become lions. This potent life principle is the one common trait of all Karate Institute of America Black Belts. Every one of these current 64 distinguished individuals never quit. They endured the heat, pressure and time of the journey until they succeeded and in so doing became the foundational legacy of the Kiado-Ryu; truly, an inspirational group of souls who, through their own sweat, toil and desire to succeed, blazed a path for others to follow.

Hannibal Barca of Carthage was one of the greatest military commanders in history. Hannibal is famous for marching his army of men and war elephants over the Pyrenees and the Alps in an effort to conquer Rome. He won three distinct battles in Italy—Trebia, Lake Trasimene and Cannae—before being defeated by the Roman general Scipio Africanus, himself an historic general of immense stature, at the Battle of Zama.

Hannibal’s famous quote, I will either find a way or make one, is a powerful declaration of positive determination containing a lesson for us all as we struggle through the ups and downs of our destinies.

From The Black Belt Book of Life: Secrets of a Martial Arts Master.

Learn this from the waters: in mountain clefts and chasms loud gush the streamlets, but great rivers run silently.

Things that are empty make a noise; the full is always quiet.

This is a very simple truth which needs no great explanation. If we are truly powerful, our power will flow from us as easily as water down a mountain. It will not be forced. It need not be announced. It will just flow and it will flow silently as great rivers flow silently.

Brain vs. Brawn — Savvy vs. Swagger

Saturday night, 26 August 2017, witnessed the most hyped fighting event since The Rumble in the Jungle between boxing’s then Heavyweight Champion George Foreman and former Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali on 30 October 1974. Ali won that contest, regaining his World Heavyweight Championship title.

Mayweather vs. McGregor was different, sort of. Floyd Mayweather, 49-O in his stellar boxing career, was being challenged by the bad boy champion of the mixed martial arts world, Conor McGregor. It was a pugilistic clash between seasoned championship boxing savvy and MMA swagger. Boxing experience won … by a knockout.

Perfect Form - Perfect Body Knockout!

Saturday night, 19 August 2017, Terence Crawford met Julius Indongo in the boxing ring to settle it all. Both were undefeated champions. Only one would prevail as still undefeated. That one was Terence Crawford.

It was 1:34 to 1:38 left in the 3rd round when Crawford ducked an Indongo left roundhouse punch and then counter-punched Indongo with a devastating left punch to the body, a knockout punch.

One of the standard principles of the Karate Institute of America is persistence. What KIA student has never heard these powerful words from the 30th President of the United States, Calvin Coolidge.

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not. Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not. Unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.