By Sensei Neil Linsdell
So what is it that makes you come to karate week after week? Is it the sensei or his instructors? Is it for the health & wellness benefits? Is it the overwhelming ambition to be one of the few who become black belt? Or, is it a combination of all of the above?
Imagine the sense of achievement when the black belt gets handed to you and you enter the ranks of the few. You will not only have earned the respect of the sensei and senpai, but also the pride of your family, and most importantly, self-respect. How high do you think your confidence level would be at this point in time? It is this type of confidence that spills over into your academic, work, and social life.
It is amazing that every time I ask who wants a black belt everyone puts up their hands but some of their actions tell a different story in class: below 100% focus, drive, energy, passion, technique, determination, persistence, confidence, leadership and/or practice.
Compare karate to math. At school, if a student rarely paid full attention in class, rarely learned the formula, rarely did homework, and then failed the exam, no one would be surprised. Similarly, in karate, no one should be surprised with the outcome and grading is not guaranteed. You have to pay full attention in class, learn the formula, and do the homework to the best of your ability.
For example, each kick and punch should be faster, more technical and more accurate each time you strike. As another example, when your instructors let you watch your fellow classmates do kata, your brain should be analyzing their movements so that when it is your turn, you can make improvements that you see are needed. The same goes for our upcoming and current instructors who are constantly reminded to stay 100% focused on the success of others, through their own development.
For me, karate is not just something I do on a Saturday; it is the way I live through respect, honor, and discipline. Trying to make classes more fun while not letting the standards fall, David, the rest of the team and I have put together a karate program that is continuously improving. All you have to do is pay attention, learn the formula and do your homework, and you, too, can sit in the front row with me, David, Iliana, and Alex. There is plenty of room for those with the guts to pursue that goal and I cannot wait to welcome you there, but first you have to earn it.
- Set a goal for yourself to become a black belt in a certain number of years and then place it in the concrete.
- Set the path to it in the sand.
- Now make it happen.
Yours truly,
Sensei Neil