In Parkour We Teach Youth to Move by Choice, not Chance

Parkour is a fun medium to help youth learn the valuable life lesson of living by choice, not chance. In parkour it's about movement. If we move by chance we most likely will end up getting hurt, hurting others, or not progressing very fast in our parkour skills. When we move by choice we promote safer movement for ourselves and those around us. We also begin to see quicker improvement of skill because we are focused and applying ourselves to the task at hand. 

Learning to move by choice versus chance builds pathways in a child's brain that can then be transferred to the concept of LIVING by choice not chance. Living by choice helps youth develop clarity around the person they want to become. Living by choice helps youth choose responsibility over unaware surviving through life. Living by choice sets a foundation for youth that they can work towards and create scenarios they want, EVEN IF THAT IS NOT WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.

In parkour that looks like if you want to be good at balance, but right now you fall off ever second, committing to practicing balance regularly. Within a week of practicing balance daily most individuals will see progress. They probably will not go from falling off every second to balancing for 4 minutes with no struggle in a week, but they can improve and get a step closer to such a goal.

In life this looks like setting goals that are bigger than your current situation and committing to put in the work to get there. Committing to learning the skills needed to get there (through school, training, or self-learning). And also committing to trust the process and pay your dues so that in the proper time you will reap a harvest. 

Living by choice versus living by chance helps youth choose the mature route over the microwave flashy results route that ultimately leads to a cycle of staying stuck.