The Black Belt Pit Stop

"I can't wait to get a black belt!"  "How long does it take to get black belt?"

I hear these statements all the time.

"I think Bobby is going to quit once he gets his black belt"  [NOTE:  Bobby the fictitious name I give to all male students.  No, he's not a real person.]

The last statement always stops me in my tracks.  Breaks my heart a little.

Earning a black belt is a goal.  A tangible, measurable goal that people can work toward.  Don't get me wrong.  Obtaining a black belt is no small feat.  Years of hard work, memorization, repetition, refinement, pain, set-backs and frustration.  But..... it's only the beginning!

Quitting your training after you get a black belt is like going to medical school to become a doctor, but then never practicing medicine on a real patient.  Getting a black belt means you've checked the boxes.  Met the minimum standards to move forward.  But it's only just the beginning of the real journey.

At a recent Black Belt test, the candidates were asked, "What does getting a black belt mean to you?  "A new beginning".  "A transformation" and "A rebirth" were some of the answers.

I started my Taekwondo training in 1985.  I received my 1st degree black belt in 1990.  It is now 2013.  23 years later.  Do you think I've learned more before or after receiving my black belt?  Obviously the answer is  after.  Not only have I learned more, but I have met more people, experienced more things, traveled more places than I could have ever imagined.  All because I continued my training in Taekwondo.

Life is a highway.  Getting your black belt is just a pit stop on this highway.  It's not the end.  Keep on training after you get your black belt.  Listen.  Work.  Be curious.  Ask questions. Challenge yourself.  Travel.  Meet people.  Trust me, it'll be worth it.

Until next time, keep training hard!