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Ever seen martial artists demonstrate their skill and power by breaking boards? You may have thought it was a trick, or perhaps something only a few highly trained, exceptional individuals can do.

Spoiler alert: It’s not.

I can do this (and more importantly, so can you). Over the years, I’ve taught hundreds of people how to do it and, like many things in life, it’s easier than you might expect.  It helps that I’ve had excellent teachers along the way in this pursuit, and one of them is someone you might have heard of.

Isaac Newton.

Sir Isaac may not have been a martial artist, but he was pretty astute in the area of physics. His second law of motion says it all:

F = ma (Force equals mass times acceleration.)

Newton’s law tells us that increasing mass and/or acceleration leads to a multiplication in force. You can see this in action in a variety of pursuits, from boxing to baseball – when you watch the pros in action, you don’t see them simply throw a punch or a ball with their arm… they put their whole body into it.  If you’ve ever had to push a car that won’t start or is stuck in snow or mud, you know how important this is.

When you access the power of your whole body, with your legs firmly planted and pushing against the ground, the mass multiplies and so does the force. But mass is just half the equation. Acceleration is just as important, and it’s potentially an even greater multiplier.

Breaking a board with your hand takes a basic understanding of force and leverage—not just in the physical sense, but the psychological as well. Physically, you need proper alignment, acceleration, and speed. But you also need a mindset that combines relaxation (to facilitate movement and acceleration) with conviction and total commitment. Otherwise, you hesitate and decelerate. Belief is an essential ingredient.

Don’t believe me? See how committed my little friend Ethan was when I showed him how to break a board!

I’ve shown hundreds of people like Ethan how to break boards, and 98% of them succeed. That 2%? They all fail for the same reason: self-doubt. It leads to hesitation, which translates into deceleration, and therefore much less force as their palm approaches the board.

But here’s the thing: It only takes one.

One board broken, one hurdle overcome, one accomplishment you never thought you’d achieve.

When we realize we can do something that appears to be difficult or impossible, our self-image adjusts accordingly.  The smile that spreads across our face reflects a change in how we view ourselves and the entire world.

We wonder: If I can do this, what else can I do?!

Anything we can do to increase mass (more resources, more talent, more unified people) and acceleration (conviction, passion, ambition) will directly multiply results. That’s why leaders can achieve seemingly impossible tasks. It’s also why we can win games, contests, wars, hearts, customers, and just about everything else we compete for.

Breaking a board is uplifting and a lot of fun. The big takeaway, though, is much larger than a broken piece of wood: it’s the awareness that a seemingly daunting feat can be achieved relatively easily when approached in the right way. When you recognize that, life can get really interesting – and you can come to an essential realization.

Bring the right combination of force and mindset, and you can accomplish virtually anything.