My own black belt is so worn, it’s almost white!

If you’re just starting out on your karate journey, you may be looking at the Black Belts in your dojo in awe, wondering how long it took them to achieve such an extraordinary feat.  After all, a Black Belt has to be the ultimate goal in your life, right? You’ve seen legendary Black Belts in movies, TV shows, books and magazines, even in commercials–and you desperately want to join their ranks.

After all, fearless, with six-pack abs and muscles of steel, Black Belts can kick, and punch their way out of any predicament while simultaneously leaping over tall buildings. They have even been known to save the world.

Or so we’re led to believe.

In reality, things aren’t quite so perfect. Not to minimize such an awesome achievement–after all, it takes most people years of hard work to get there, and it’s something to be proud of–but once the glory has worn off, you’ll find you’re just the same person as you were before. No magical, mythical transformation.

You’ll still forget parts of the kata you’re working on. You’ll still make stupid mistakes, and from time to time, you’ll still get your ass kicked in kumite!

But that’s okay; it’s just the way it should be.

Because a Black Belt is by no means the end. It actually signifies the beginning of your journey, which is why it’s called sho-dan in Japanese (lit. “first-level.”) Rather than focusing on getting your Black Belt, my advice would be to work on improving your karate skills and improving yourself as a person.

“Wearing a black belt does not make you a superhero, and wearing a white belt does not mean you have little to offer as a person. It is what we do in the belts we wear, and not the belts themselves that matter.” ~  Chris Matakas