How to Help Kids Set and Achieve Goals That Build Confidence for Life

October is goal-setting month at American Academies of Martial Arts, and every student, from our Little Dragons to our adult black sashes, is setting a personal goal.

It might be to master a new form, level up to their next sash color, improve focus in class, or simply show up with more confidence. At the end of the month, students who have met their goal, or made meaningful progress toward it, will get to spin our prize wheel and choose from fun rewards like picking the class music or making the instructors do their pushups for the day.

The prizes are small, but the lessons are big.

When kids learn how to set and achieve goals, they also learn what it feels like to follow through. That feeling becomes addictive. It builds discipline, focus, and confidence. These skills transfer far beyond the martial arts floor.

One of our youth instructors, Carly, is living proof of this.

Carly’s Story: A Black Sash Before 11, an Instructor by 13

A cat named Tory Nichols and practicing with weapons in the driveway might be the first clues to an outsider that Carly isn’t your average pre-teen girl.

But to those who know her, it’s no surprise.

Carly has been taking Kung Fu classes since the age of three. She started in our on-site Apple Tree Orchard daycare program, then joined our Little Dragons classes. After earning her black belt in Little Dragons, she advanced to the youth class and achieved her black sash at just 10 years old.

Now, a few years later, Carly is one of our instructors, helping younger students learn the same skills that have shaped her journey.

It hasn’t always been easy. She once found sparring, grappling, and front rolls intimidating, but she faced each fear through consistent practice. Her mom, Robin, said Carly’s confidence has soared because of it. “She learned what it feels like to face a fear and overcome it,” Robin shared. “That experience carries into real life.”

Carly still loves the fan forms (she used to practice them at home in the driveway) and remains fiercely loyal to Team Cobra Kai, despite Mr. G.’s firm allegiance to Miyagi-Do.

Her journey reminds us that persistence, not perfection, is what builds true confidence.

Read her inspiring story in Martial Arts Goal Setting: How Carly Turned Persistence Into Confidence.

Goal-Setting at AAMA: Progress Over Perfection

At AAMA, goal-setting isn’t about comparison, it’s about personal progress. Every student’s journey looks different, but what matters most is the effort and growth along the way.

By setting goals and tracking progress, students experience the full cycle of success:

• Set a target. (Something clear and measurable.)
• Show up consistently.
• Celebrate progress.

And when they do, they don’t just earn a prize. They earn belief in themselves.

Goal-setting doesn’t just help on the mat, it spills over into every area of life, especially school. When kids learn to focus, plan, and stay consistent, their academic performance often improves right alongside their Kung Fu skills.

We’ve seen this firsthand at AAMA. In fact, we recently wrote about how martial arts training can boost focus, memory, and grades in our blog, Martial Arts: The Secret to Academic Success.

Ready to See the Difference?

If you’d like your child to learn how to set and achieve goals while building confidence, discipline, and resilience, we’d love to meet you.

Apply for a Trial Class Here »