#9: Chip Townsend – Breaking Through Barriers

The Black Belt Podcast

“When pushing the boundaries of the human body, either I’m going to break, or it is. Can I pull the trigger and go? It can be this way in self-defense, life, and everything else that we do.

A great question is to ask what is the absolute worst that could happen in this situation, when you can wrap your mind around that worst-case scenario, I know that I can digest that and we can move forward. You have to know I might break, it might, but you have to know that you can pull the trigger.” – Chip Townsend

My guest this episode is Chip Townsend, who is a 14-time ISKA (International Sport Karate Association) World Breaking Champion. At the age of 3 Mr. Townsend lost his eye in a freak accident, and since that day he has faced the world with perseverance, grit, determination, and an unwavering quest to making the world a better place. He is a 7’th degree black belt, a world champion, a motivational speaker, and a community and industry leader.

This episode is all about pushing the boundaries of the human body and mind and discovering its full potential. My key takeaway is that the limits of fear and pain can be progressively overcome by an intelligent training method that safely guides the practitioner from the unknown to the known. We need to carefully assess the cost and potential risks involved and accept them before we can move forward. We need to create training wheels or safety nets to develop skill and confidence so that we can break through our physical, mental, and spiritual barriers. Once we know that we can break through we can slowly and safely remove the training aids. This process will allow us to make the impossible possible. We must approach this endeavor with Wonder and Excitement of what is possible and allow the wonder and excitement to be the master of fear. The true purpose of martial arts is to make the world a better place, to do this we must remove our self-imposed limitations, and become examples of what is possible. Mr. Townsend is a remarkable individual, tune in for another amazing episode filled with inspiration, wisdom, and actionable training tips.