The Black belt analogy

Around 2010 I started martial arts and it taught me a valuable lesson. Everyone wants to be a black belt, but very few people achieve it. Why? Because they underestimate what is required to achieve it. They want to walk into a dojo and become an instant black belt and the same principles apply in life. People want instant gratification, they don’t want to spend the time to perfect their skill. What I am describing here, is the old me. The guy who wanted everything instantly, but wasn’t prepared to do take the long road. I would often give up quickly and become bored easily. If I didn’t see instant results, I would lose interest and move on.

What martial arts taught me is that life is like belts. Right now, you’re a white belt and your goal, well that’s the black belt; metaphorically speaking. The belts in-between are the steps you must take to achieve your goal. Nobody goes from white belt to black belt without completing the steps in-between. If they did, would they feel a sense of accomplishment or that they are worthy of the achievement? I think not.

Think about what it is that you truly want. What’s your black belt? What are the steps you must take to make your goal a reality?

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” – Loa Tzu