Abundance Mindset in ITF Taekwon-Do ❤️🙏👊
Adopting an Abundance Mindset in ITF Taekwon-Do: A Lesson in the Spirit of Christmas
By Roy Rolstad
As the holiday season reminds us to celebrate joy, generosity, and goodwill, I find myself reflecting on one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned through Taekwon-Do and life: the importance of being truly happy for others. The spirit of Christmas teaches us that giving, sharing, and uplifting one another brings us closer together, and this aligns perfectly with the concept of an “abundance mindset.”
Stephen Covey, in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, describes an abundance mindset as recognizing and creating opportunities for mutual growth. It’s the belief that success and joy are not limited resources; there is more than enough to go around. Just because someone else finds success or happiness doesn’t mean there’s less for you.
The opposite is a scarcity mindset, which operates on fear and envy—the idea that if someone else wins, you lose. This mindset can make us bitter, competitive in the wrong ways, and closed off from opportunities to grow.
But in Taekwon-Do—and in life—we are constantly presented with opportunities to embrace abundance. Even situations that seem competitive or challenging on the surface, like tournaments, can be transformed. While only one person might take home the gold, everyone can walk away richer in experience, knowledge, and camaraderie.
Lessons in Abundance: A Taekwon-Do Christmas Spirit
During this season of reflection, let’s consider how an abundance mindset can help us not only as martial artists but as people:
• Be Grateful for Sparring Partners Who Challenge You: Like the gifts we exchange during Christmas, every tough match is a gift of learning and growth. Appreciate those who push you to be better.
• Turn Losses into Lessons: Just as the holidays invite us to reflect on the year gone by, take the time to learn from setbacks. Every loss holds a lesson that prepares you for a stronger future.
• Seek Feedback from Others, Even Opponents: Much like asking for advice from loved ones, there’s humility and growth in learning from those who surpass us.
• Celebrate Others’ Successes: The holidays are a time of joy and celebration. In the same spirit, cheer on your teammates, sparring partners, and even opponents when they succeed. Their achievements don’t diminish yours—they inspire and uplift the entire ITF community.
Avoiding the Trap of Scarcity
The Christmas spirit also calls us to let go of envy, fear, and resentment. Here are a few examples of how a scarcity mindset can hold us back:
• Dodging Tough Matches: Avoiding challenges may protect your ego temporarily, but it prevents growth. Don’t shy away from giving or receiving the “gift” of a tough fight.
• Being Envious of Others’ Success: Resentment creates division, not progress. Use others’ achievements as motivation to improve yourself, not as a source of comparison.
• Interpreting Losses as Failures: Just as no one would judge a year based on one bad day, don’t define yourself by one defeat. Each moment is a chance to start anew.
• Tying Self-Worth to Results: Christmas reminds us that our value lies in who we are, not what we achieve. Don’t let wins or losses dictate how you see yourself.
A Season of Growth
In ITF Taekwon-Do, we uphold values like courtesy, perseverance, and integrity. These align beautifully with the spirit of Christmas and the abundance mindset. When we share in others’ successes, learn from every experience, and approach challenges with gratitude, we create a community where everyone thrives.
This holiday season, let’s carry the principles of Taekwon-Do into our everyday lives. Celebrate your own journey, and just as importantly, celebrate those around you. After all, the true joy of Christmas—and martial arts—is in giving, sharing, and growing together.
So, as you step into the dojang or reflect on your training, remember: someone else’s success doesn’t take away from yours. In fact, it can light your own path. This mindset, like the spirit of Christmas, can guide us to be better martial artists and better people
