Photo by Luca Viscardi, used under Creative Commons licence

My dad passed away some years ago.  I was proud that he saw me come through the ups and downs of my younger years and successful establish Panther Taekwondo Black Belt Academy.  I often think of him and remember his words.

Dad was a fighter – in every sense. He’d been a Jamaican boxing champion and it was his influence which brought me to the martial arts. He’d seen me become a winner, a European champion, and become regarded as a success.

But in my dad’s eyes, those weren’t my biggest successes. One day my dad told me this.

When I brought him trophies he’d been pleased, of course, and pleased for me – but they were things he would have expected of me. He knew, as an experienced fighter himself, that I had a winning attitude in the first place, so he wasn’t surprised when I won.

To make my dad proud means more to me that anything else I have achieved

What impressed him was when Panther Taekwondo Black Belt Academy appointed its own first black belt fighters. We create experts. We train people who excelled, and who go on to teach and inspire others. We play our part in a rich tradition of martial arts, passed on from generation to generation. When I heard that, I realised that I’d found my true purpose, the thing which made my life and my work valuable and lasting. My purpose is to be part of a wonderful tradition and to hand that tradition on.

Now, years later, I’ve taught 300-400 black belts –  I’ve lost count. I’ve taught those experts, and they in turn have taught experts: they have gone on to teach themselves and to create black belts. It makes me feel that I’m part of a cycle, that what I’ve learned will be passed forward to others.

I know that my dad would be proud, so proud. And the thought of making him proud still means more to me today than anything else I have achieved.