A lot of people give up just before they're about to make it. You know you never know when that next obstacle is going to be the last one.
A lot of times people look at the negative side of what they feel they can't do. I always look on the positive side of what I can do.
And off course the critics crucified me because my acting was so bad.
Because movies in the seventies were kind of negative movies, anti-hero type movies. And I said you know I think there's an opening here, a spot here for a positive influence on the screen.
But any way, you know at that time I was teaching, I had no aspirations toward acting but I went and did the fight scene in the movie with Bruce just as a kind of a break out of my schedule.
But before that I had a chain of martial arts schools that a company wanted to buy and go nation wide with.
But fortunately the martial arts in the film was adequate and people loved it, my flying kick through the car windshield and stuff like that. That's what people remembered and the movie did well.
But I think that the image I tried to portray on the screen, a strong positive person, is what saved me and why people tolerated the poor acting.
But it was a real experience to see Bruce Lee who was far ahead of every body else in that field. He had a vision that was years ahead of everyone.
Finally I found an acting school that I was able to take on my GI bill through the military. So I went back to school to learn acting.
Fortunately in 1977 Good Guy's Wear Black became my first break.
I definitely feel I do have God in my corner.
I didn't want to hide things in this book. There are a lot of things in the book, a lot of mistakes I made in my life that come out in this book.
I don't know because growing up, not having a father around, you have to create your own image of a father, and that became the image of a father that I would like to have had.
I gave my life to the Lord at 12. I was baptized at 12. Then it grew stronger. And when I got to go to a crusade for Billy Graham, unfortunately a lot of times in the entertainment industry, sometimes you lose sight of what's really important in your life. I lost a marriage because of it.
I think setting a goal, getting a visual image of what it is you want. You've got to see what it is you want to achieve before you can pursue it.
I think that's where martial arts are such an integral part, because it does give you that strength of character, it does build internal strength. It becomes spiritual at a high level.
I think that's why there has been so many suicides today, the kids don't have the strength of God in their hearts and so they give up, as individuals they don't have the strength to cope.
I'm a very religious person.
I've always found that anything worth achieving will always have obstacles in the way and you've got to have that drive and determination to overcome those obstacles on route to whatever it is that you want to accomplish.
I've been very fortunate that way, I am very spiritual.
I've been very fortunate to be able to use my series as a platform to show a good message for the kids.
In America the schools have become too permissive, the kids now are controlling the schools, the tail is wagging the dog. We've got to make a change there and get it back to where the teachers have control of the classrooms.
It wasn't until I went to Korea out of high school and got exposed to the martial arts for the first time and was just completely enamored with the physical ability of the martial arts and making my black belt.
It's like being a competitive fighter in the martial arts, you'll be the best one day, some one else is going to be the best the next day.
Men are like steel. When they lose their temper, they lose their worth.
My next one was A force Of One where I played a world champion kick boxer and that one did really well.
People need to realise what real happiness and success is, because success as an actor is fleeting. You can be up there one day and gone the next.
So I went up to about 180 for that fight scene. That's why you didn't see me do any jumping kicks I couldn't get off the ground.
So I'm making a better living doing something I love which is the martial arts. You know acting is my career, martial arts are my life. It'll be a part of me as long as I'm alive.
So off course I tried to got to acting school but, you know at this time I had no money.
So then I started to do my spinning heel kicks and hitting the pads and all this kind of thing then Bruce started doing it and off course in six months he could do it as well as anybody.
Some of the most miserable people I know are some of the richest people in America, they are the most miserable individuals I've ever seen.
That's what life's all about, working towards them goals and striving toward them and making your life the best you can make it.
Then I came back to the America and I thought my life would be teaching.
Then I went out trying to find work (as an actor) but I was competing against guys with years and years of experience.
Then, as I said in 1974 I lost everything with my schools then that's when I started pursuing and acting career.
There's to many things in life for us to cope with without the faith of God.
Violence is my last option.
Well, really my first big break was a movie called Good Guy's Wear Black. This was a screenplay that I helped develop and write. I peddled it around Hollywood for four years before I was able to finally make it a reality.
When God said 'Let there be light' Chuck Norris said 'Say Please.'
When I first started training with Bruce he only believed in kicking below the waist, from the groin down. He didn't believe in kicking any higher.
You know I find that when you serve, when you help others it comes back to you, automatically, it is a philosophy that is true.
You need the tenacity to stick to it when things get tough. And have faith that you can do it.
The World Karate Union Hall of Fame bestowed the Golden Lifetime Achievement Award to Chuck Norris on July 1, 2000. The recipient of this award is recognized for their selfless humanitarian work and displayed distinction in the world of martial arts.
Chuck endorsed Texas Governor Rick Perry in his bid for re-election in 2006.
In 1975, Chuck was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame as Instructor of the Year.
Chuck wrote his autobiography titled The Secret of Inner Strengh in 1988. It became a New York Times Best Seller. A few years later he published his second book The Secret Power Within: Zen Solutions to Real Problems.
Chuck Norris was once an offshore powerboat racer with speeds of 140 miles per hour.
In 1968, Chuck Norris was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame as Fighter of the Year.
In the early 70's, Chuck co-starred in The movie Way of the Dragon (which was renamed in the U.S. Return of the Dragon). This movie starred the late great Bruce Lee.
Chuck and his wife Gena were guest hosts on TBN's Praise the Lord on May 3, 2006.
He was a student of Bruce Lee.
Chuck campaigned for George Bush in the 1988 U.S. elections.
He had a cameo role in the movie Dodgeball as a judge at a dodgeball tournament.
Norris served as a guest referee at the WWF's Survivor Series 1994 for the casket match between 'The Undertaker' and the late 'Yokozuna'. A similar match had taken place at Royal Rumble 1994 where ten other wrestlers beat down 'The Undertaker'. Norris was called upon to ensure a similar situation didn't take place. As guest referee, he kicked then-WWF star Jeff Jarrett square in the stomach.
It was in Korea that Carlos got the nickname 'Chuck'.
He was executive producer of Walker, Texas Ranger for most of the series.
He changed his name from Carlos to Chuck, but his close friends and his family still call him Carlos.
Chuck Norris is a born-again Christian and he has spoken out in favor of getting bible classes taught as an elective in public schools.
In 1958, Chuck Norris joined the United States Air Force and he served as a military policeman while stationed in South Korea.
Chuck Norris has trained many celebrities in the martial arts, including The Price is Right host Bob Barker.
In 2005, Chuck Norris founded the World Combat League, a full contact, team-based martial arts competition.
Chuck has a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under the Machado Brothers.
Chuck founded two of his own martial arts: Chun Kuk Do ("the Universal Way") and American Tang Soo Do.
After his first marriage ended in divorce, Chuck Norris married his second wife, Gena O’Kelley, on November 28th, 1998.
Chuck retired from fighting as the undefeated Professional Full-Contact Middleweight Champion on January 17, 1970.
In 1997, he became the first man ever in the Western Hemisphere to be awarded an 8th degree Black Belt Grand Master recognition in the Tae Kwon Do system. This was a first in 4,500 years of tradition.
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