Martial arts are like a mountain. See top. And you hike and you climb, and you finally reach the top, and you realize it was a false top, and there's a whole new mountain range ahead of you. You train to be a warrior, not a fighter. The warrior knows what he can release, so he chooses the path of peace and respect.

Just as a stool requires three legs to stand upright so the taekwondoist must cultivate basic skills, meaningful forms, and effective sparring in order to have both feet firmly planted in the art. The most difficult part of traditional taekwondo is not learning the first kick or punch. It is not struggling to remember the motions of a poomsae or becoming acquainted with Korean culture. Rather, it is taking the first step across the threshold of the dojang door. This is where roads diverge, where choices are made that will resonate throughout a lifetime. Of those who start TaeKwonDo training, only about 5% stick with it until they achieve the Black Belt Rank. Then perhaps 80% of those who earn a Black stop there.