THE BLOCK YOU SEE…AND THE ONE YOU DON’T

​There’s a story I carry with me, one I’ve told often in my dojo, in leadership seminars, and even in quiet conversations with friends who feel like giving up. It’s about concrete, yes; but more than that, it’s about mindset.

In June 2018, I was conducting a black belt test. I’ve done that for over 20 years. That day, one adult student was testing, Ryan. Ryan’s a good man, built like a tank: 5’10” or so, about 230 pounds. Strong. Dedicated. A friend, and someone I respect deeply.

After 4 to 5 hours of testing, he was physically spent. But there was one final challenge left: breaking a 2-inch concrete patio block.

Now, physics would tell you that a man of Ryan’s size and strength could, and should, be able to break that block easily. But physics doesn’t account for fear, hesitation, or the internal dialogue we all battle when we’re tired and unsure.

He struck the block with a palm heel once. Nothing. Again. Nothing. A third time. Still nothing but the sharp sound of his hand smacking unyielding concrete. I saw it in his eyes; that look I knew all too well.

It took me back 25 years to my own pre-test practice session. Same block. Same outcome. I hit it again and again… and walked away without ever breaking it until test day. It wasn’t about technique. It wasn’t about strength. It was about the mental block I couldn’t see but could definitely feel.

Ryan was in that same place.

So I changed the break.

I asked him to use an elbow strike instead of a palm heel. Slightly more difficult from a technique standpoint. But there was a catch: the elbow strike would force him to turn sideways…to take his eyes off the block.

That shift changed everything.

With one clean strike, he not only shattered the patio block but broke through the cinder blocks beneath it. Because the moment he stopped staring at the obstacle, his mind stopped limiting him.

The Leadership Lesson

As leaders, whether of people, teams, or even just ourselves; there’s a block we all face. Sometimes it’s external. Often, it’s internal.

We fail once or twice and start telling ourselves we can’t. That it’s too hard. That maybe we weren’t meant for this. But the truth is, what stops us is not the block, it’s the belief that we can’t break through it.

What helped Ryan wasn’t a new technique, it was a new perspective. He stopped focusing on the problem and started trusting the training. The shift in his eyes mirrored a shift in his mind.

And that’s where breakthrough happens.

What I Believe

• Mental strength beats physical strength when both are tested.
• Positive thinking isn’t fluff…it’s fuel. It gets you back up when your body is done.
• The eyes lie when they’re fixed on fear. Sometimes, you have to turn away from the thing that’s blocking you to finally break through.

Ryan earned his black belt that day, and later, his third-degree black belt. More importantly, he became one of the best students I’ve ever had. And one of the best men I know.

And in case you’re wondering: I broke my patio block on the first try during my test.

Not because I was stronger.
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But because I believed I could.

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