The #FMAcani Goal-Setting Challenge is Blowing Our Minds

Of the many hashtag promos and social media contests here at Freestyle Martial Arts Academy, never have we been so humbled and impressed and wowed than we are now. In early January, after Washoe County School District schools were back in session from winter break, we launched #fmacani. And the response from our students has been incredible.

freestyle-martial-arts-#fmacani-setting-goals-reaching-goalsThe premise of the challenge is simple. #fmacani is a reference to CANI, part of the student oath spoken by all students at the beginning of class. Instructors ask, “What’s our goal?” and students recite back: “CANI – constant and never-ending improvement.”

To participate in #fmacani, students were challenged with the following:

  • Step 1: Set a goal of any kind. It could be physical, martial arts or sports-specific, related to family, community, education, anything. Just choose a goal and make a personal hashtag relating to it.
  • Step 2: Take action. On day one, post a video or picture about their goal.
  • Step 3: Practice, practice, practice. Post as many pictures and videos as they can depicting how hard they’re working toward reaching their goal.

#fmacani ends on January 31, and we have been positively blown away by the effort being poured into these goals. Our students have committed to personal goals that include:

  • #stayingstatic – Holding static abs for thirty minutes
  • #fullrightsplits – Nailing the full front splits, baby!
  • #perfectthewebster – Mastering a tricky gymnastics tumble
  • #beattherecord – Beating the FMA school pull-up record
  • #60secUpsidedownCoop – Holding a 60-second handstand
  • #millies15blankets – Creating ways to raise money (she sold artwork and ran a hot cocoa stand with supplies donated from Starbucks, and she organized a fundraiser with her mom leading a yoga class) so that she could buy 15 blankets to give to local people living in the cold outdoors

Another student set a goal of being a great big sister. She committed to doing something to care for her baby sister every day – reading to her, learning how to change her diaper and playing games.

The goals go on and on and on, and we wish we could share each of them here. This is by far the most meaningful and successful social media challenge we’ve ever had, and it reaffirms what we already know – that Freestyle is a community of hardworking, thoughtful and truly amazing people.

During a time when social media seems to be flooded with negativity, it’s a wonderful thing to see effort, self-improvement, hard work and positivity. And that’s exactly what we saw, and what we continue to see, as our students share their progress with the world. Keep it up, guys. You are incredible.

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