In this episode of I Love Your Stories, host Hava Gurevich sits down with author, martial arts master, and mindset coach Nick Suino. With decades of experience training in Japan and teaching martial arts in the U.S., Nick shares how the dojo became a foundation for not just physical discipline, but for living a more intentional life.

They talk about the subtle yet powerful shift that happens when we choose to show up fully—whether it’s in martial arts, writing, or daily habits—and how the tools of focus, consistency, and presence can help anyone improve their mindset and find meaning in effort.

Nick also opens up about his creative process as a writer, the difference between practising a skill and “rehearsing mediocrity,” and why the best kind of discipline is one rooted in self-respect, not shame.

Topics Covered:

• Nick’s martial arts journey, from Michigan to Japan
• Founding the Japanese Martial Arts Center in Ann Arbor
• The connection between physical practice and mindset
• Why consistency often trumps intensity
• The mental shift that comes from “just showing up”
• How martial arts can teach respect, patience, and inner calm
• Nick’s approach to writing and creativity
• Letting go of perfectionism and focusing on improvement
• “Rehearsing mediocrity” vs. deliberate practice
• Why self-talk matters more than we think