Mastering Progress: Why Some Goals Take Longer (And Why That’s Normal)
When it comes to goal setting for kids, one of the most important lessons is this: some goals are quick wins… and some goals take time, patience, and the willingness to keep showing up even when it feels slow.
At AAMA, we see both kinds of wins every day. And honestly? They’re equally important.
The Fast Wins: Goals Kids Can Hit in a Few Weeks
These goals build on skills kids already have, so improvement comes quickly.
Think:
- Adding 10 more push-ups
- Holding horse stance longer
- Memorizing a new section of forms
- Sharpening a technique they already understand
These goals teach kids that consistent effort equals progress. It boosts confidence right away and gives them something solid to celebrate.
The Slow Wins: Goals That Take Time (But Build Big Skills)
Then we have the goals that don’t come fast.
Not because kids aren’t trying, but because the skill itself is brand new.
Things like:
- Holding a steady handstand
- Building the confidence for sparring
- Mastering complex kick combinations
- Developing the balance for jumping kicks
These goals require strength, coordination, courage, and repetition. They take longer because they should take longer.
And this is exactly where perseverance gets built.
Student Story: James and the Upside-Down Goal
James set a big goal, one that isn’t a “two-week” kind of thing.
He wants to do a handstand.
Not a hop-up-and-fall-down kind of handstand.
A steady, controlled, “yep, I’ve arrived” handstand.
He hasn’t hit it yet… but every single day in class, he’s upside down.
Hands on the mat. Legs kicking up. Body getting steadier. Core getting stronger. Balance improving.
He’s developing everything required to get there.
And he refuses to quit because he’s determined and confident.
That’s what long-term goals develop in kids: grit.
The kind of grit that follows them into schoolwork, friendships, sports, and life.
Student Story: Coda and the Backbend Breakthrough
Then there’s Coda, a dancer and a dedicated Kung Fu student.
Her goal was huge:
Go into a backbend… and stand up from it.
She’d been trying for a long time.
And she kept trying.
And trying.
Last week in class… she did it for the very first time.
Her mom shared that they were nearing the point where not reaching this goal would affect Coda’s ability to perform well at her dance events. It mattered. It was becoming urgent.
That kind of pressure could crumble some kids, but Coda used it as fuel.
She focused. She committed.
And with persistence and the strength she builds through Kung Fu, she hit her breakthrough moment.
Like Mr. G always says:
“Kung Fu is the one thing that can make you better at almost anything.”
Watching Coda proved that right in real time.
If you’d like to read more about Coda’s journey through martial arts, you can read our student spotlight by clicking here.
Why Both Wins Matter
Quick wins build confidence.
Slow wins build resilience.
Kids need both.
When a child learns that goals come in different “sizes,” they stop comparing themselves to others and start focusing on their own growth.
And when they finally hit a long-term goal, whether it’s a handstand, a backbend recovery, or a complex form, they don’t just feel proud.
They feel transformed.
AAMA Helps Kids Choose and Achieve the Right Goals
Our instructors help students pick goals that are right for their level and right for who they’re becoming. Some goals take a month. Some take longer. But every single one matters.
If you want your child to build confidence, perseverance, discipline, and the ability to stick with something hard until the moment it finally clicks, bring them to AAMA for a class. You can click here to apply for a trial.