“Do Things for the Love of It” vs “The Fear of Losing It” – Herb Perez

My Guest this episode is the 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist, in Tae Kwon Do, Master Herb Perez. He is the owner of Gold Medal Martial Arts Centers, the creator of the Torch Program, a Lawyer, and the former Mayor of Foster City, Ca.

This episode is literally filled with gold, and I consider Herb Perez a master of high performance. My Key take away is “The Art of Setting and Achieving Goals”. We discuss failure, doubt, and how to rise above self-limiting beliefs. Master Perez also shares his powerful Visualization Techniques to Win Matches in Your Mind, and how physical & mental training found in Martial Arts are the Foundations of all Success.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments. Follow Sifu Harinder Singh @sifusingh and Black Belt Magazine @blackbeltmag.

Show Notes

#3: Herb Perez – The Art of Setting and Achieving Goals

00:00:28 – Master Herb Perez (@goldmedalmartialarts) Introduction and Key Takeaway

00:01:57 – The Purpose of The Black Belt Podcast

00:03:01 – How has Martial Arts Allowed You to Achieve So Much Success?

00:04:45 – The Art of Setting Goals

00:07:18 – Where does Self Belief come from?

00:10:06 – Passion (What’s In Your Heart) + Be Honest With Yourself + Do The Work = Success

00:11:11 – “Doubt is the Greatest Weapon You Can Give Your Enemy”. – Sifu Welch

00:11:46 – Dan Milliman’s “The Peaceful Warrior” and The Enemy in Your Head, @danmillmanpw

00:12:09 – Overcoming Doubt Against The Korean Tae Kwon Do Powerhouse

00:13:20 – “You Miss 100% of the Shots You Don’t Take” – Michael Jordan, @michaeljordan

00:14:24 – “Confidence is Born Out of Practice & What You Have Done Before” – Herb Perez

00:14:42 – How Do You Pull Yourself out of a Doubt Filled Mind?

00:16:50 – Fighting Matches in Your Head the Night Before to Prepare for a Competition

00:17:40 – Train Your Mind Like You Train Your Body

00:19:26 – Practice Dealing with Emotions, Fears, and Being Calm

00:20:30 – Raise Yourself Up vs Diminish Others

00:21:50 – Why Are We Not Training the Mind as A Weapon in Martial Arts Schools?

00:24:10 – How to Use Visualization Skills to Win the Olympics

00:27:23 – Advice for Martial Artists – How to Go from Visualization to Actualization

00:28:56 – 3 Steps to Overcome Discomfort by Choosing Courage and Letting Go of Fear

00:32:00 – “Do Things for the Love of It” vs “The Fear of Losing It”

00:34:39 – Using Self Expression to Make Your Art Yours

00:38:50 – “What We Do Is Way Too Valuable to Be Shared with the Masses” – Herb Perez

00:44:00 – Do We Need a Professional Martial Arts University?

00:46:44 – What Should We Be Teaching? Philosophy, Role in Society, Self Defense?

00:53:16 – You Must Understand Your Personal Challenges and Build Your Own Success Matrix

00:55:46 – How Did You Develop a Strategy to Beat the Korean Tae Kwon Do Powerhouse?

00:58:20 – Do a SWOT Analysis on Yourself and Understand How to Break Patterns

01:00:00 – Martial Arts Provides the Arena to Discover Your True Self Through Fighting

01:03:25 – Learn The Art of War and How to Apply it in Fighting and Life

01:04:55 – Defining the Flow State and How to Enter It

01:06:00 – Choosing to Attack vs Choosing to Wait

01:08:17 – How to Be Ahead of Your Opponent with Time and Space Awareness

01:12:26 – The Fear of Losing vs The Love of Winning

01:13:58 – You Have to Believe You Can Win and Make Your Opponent Lose

01:15:13 – How Do You Take Losses and Turn Them into Growth Experiences?

01:22:20 – Where is the Future of Martial Arts Headed?

01:25:26 - What Does A Black Belt Mean to Herb Perez?