Everyone "wants" a black belt but not that many will get it. So what is it that some have that others do not? Nothing! It isn't what those students "have" that gets them to black belt; it is what they "do." So let's take a look at the steps that a student must do in order to complete their goal of becoming a black belt.
First let's apply an analogy to the "journey" to black belt. We'll compare it to a long journey; say from Texas to California, via train.
1. Regular & Consistent Class Attendance: This is by far the most vital thing that a student can do to ensure their success at earning black belt. This surpasses all other elements of the journey. Stay on board the train. The more times you get off the train, the more chances of you missing the next leg of your journey, which then has you trying to play catch-up. This can lead to frustration and to a less productive part of your journey. Don't give up! "Winners never quit and Quitters never win," as they say. Don't even give up a little. Missing a class, when it is avoidable, is giving up a little. You may not think of it as "giving up" but you are indeed giving up the experience of being in that one class. And it is your experiences in your journey that determine what your black belt is made of.
2. Stay Focused: Give your best Mental & Physical effort in each class. Don't allow yourself to become bored or distracted. The journey from Texas to California has a lot of scenery, some vibrant and green, and some just brown desert. It may not all be beautiful to you but you still must go through it to get to your destination. So it is best to look for the beauty of the desert, and find motivation and challenge with the repetition of the exercises in the martial arts. Remember, "A Bored Person is a Boring Person."
3. Practice: This is the hard part for most. Just finding the time to practice the art outside of class can be a bit of a challenge. But getting black belt is a challenge. It is much easier to just sit in your seat on that long journey to California, but it is important to stand up and stretch your legs every now and then. This will help determine your comfort and different parts of the journey. It is possible to get black belt without additional personal practice, depending on your commitment to the other elements, but not nearly as likely. Even more importantly, it will determine the type of black belt you will be, should you get there.
4. Remind Yourself: Don't lose sight of your goal and the reasons you set it in the first place. In the midst of that long train ride to California, you may begin to wonder if California is worth it. Well, it was before you left and it will be after you get there. So you must keep in mind what it is that you are accomplishing. Now, I didn't say "trying" to accomplish, I said "Accomplishing." If you are on that train, and the train is moving forward, you are indeed "accomplishing" your goal. You are moving toward your destination. You aren't "trying" to get there; you are, in fact, getting there.
5. Enjoy the Journey: You can love it or you can hate it, the choice is yours. You can hate that long train ride or you can decide to love it. Sometimes love or hate is a feeling you get, but sometimes it is a decision you make. It is an attitude, not an emotion. I've known, and even produced, black belts that at many parts of their training just seemed to hate it. However, they utilized the other elements of prosperity discussed here to a degree that they were able to accomplish the goal of getting a black belt. However, getting a black belt and "being" a black belt can be two different things. Those that hate the journey but just stick it out may be awarded the belt, as they did complete the journey. We cannot control whether they enjoy it or not. However, these are generally the students that just squeak by; the ones that could be considered graduating at the bottom of the class. They have done the bare minimum to attain their goal.
Use these 5 steps and you (or your child) can not only get to black belt, but can be the best black belt you/they can possibly be.
