UBBT 6 Retrospective

As I approach the end of my first Ultimate Black Belt Test, I realize how short the amount of time is in a single year. I have been reflecting upon the past eleven months and whether or not I am where I expected to be when I started this journey back in January. At a moment like this it is easy to become caught up in everything I haven’t accomplished rather than reflect upon the evolution that has taken place within me over the past eleven months. While a single year may be incredibly short, it is amazing how much opportunity is encapsulated within that year.

The list of what I haven’t accomplished is vast. My goal to study under a lion dance master has been postponed until my knee/leg issues improve. These issues have also prevented me from realizing many of my physical goals. Form reps, sparring rounds, and BJJ are more casualties of my condition. I am looking forward to the opportunity the Live Like a Champion Project will provide me to knock off these goals.

Adaptability. That has been the key to my successful UBBT journey. The value in this past year has been found in the personal growth and self discovery that have transformed me. The time I spent in Alabama with my students, Master McNeill’s visit to my school, and the Thich Nhat Hanh retreat in Colorado were all significant experiences I hadn’t expected or even considered when I began my test. I guess I should be grateful for my physical challenges as I may not have noticed all the other opportunities before me if my UBBT had gone perfectly as planned. Such is the value of the no quitting requirement.

Above all, I am grateful for the relentless push the UBBT provides. Everyday is a day of accomplishment and discovery.

“Aging wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul.” - Douglas MacArther (1880 - 1964)