85%

I tell my students that an attendance record of 85% is the minimum required for advancement to black belt. Sure you can make up for missed classes through mindful practice at home — skill can be acquired away from class. If this is the case, why 85%?
Because practice makes perfect but participation is still the most perfect practice.

Everyone plans to train at home but life has a way of getting in the way. The value in practice is not found in the intention. It is found in the actual execution. Intending to come to class but having a valid excuse for being absent has the same effect on your skill level as missing a class to go to a movie. Missed practice is a missed opportunity for progression. Missed opportunities have a habit of accumulating and adding up to an awful lot of mediocrity.

If a student has a minimum attendance record of 85%, they will be around positive, like-thinking people 35% more than a fellow student with only a 50% attendance record. That extra influence will translate to a better mental engagement in their training and a greater awareness of the opportunities we all have to apply ourselves to mastery in every moment of every day.

The inevitable question I get asked every year is: “My attendance record is 81%, does this mean I won’t be allowed to grade?”. My answer is always the same — the percentage is irrelevant, the issue is the missing skill. 85% attendance is not a rule, it is a fact.

“I’ve found luck is quite predictable. If you want more luck, take more chances. Be more active. Show up more often.” - Brian Tracy (b. 1944)

We All Fall Down

One of my business role models, a pioneer in the martial arts community, took his own life this week. His reputation’s imminent ruination and the inevitable consequences were more than he was willing to accept. His family, friends, and business associates will have to face the fallout without him.

My black belts are taught to revere the rank they have earned. They don’t own the rank, they share it. I remind them that their black belt is not only defined by the scope of their accomplishments but also the quality of their character, and the character of every person who achieved the rank before them. Consequently, their black belt will be continuously redefined by the character of every person who achieves the rank after them.

The rank of black belt comes with both privileges and responsibility. Most people respect the sweat and blood that went into making my white belt black, and trust me as a leader. They tend to give me this respect and trust without me having to first earn either. I know I am far from perfect and that I get more things wrong than I get right, so I am careful not to buy into the hype. Respect and trust have to be continuously earned. They may be easily given but once they are lost, they are almost impossible to earn back.

Accepting the responsibility that comes with the rank of black belt is not for the weak hearted. When one of us lets the rank down, the rest of us need to step up our game to repair the damage.

“Don’t consider your reputation and you may anything you like.” - Chinese Proverb

Leadership by Conflict and Fear

In the martial arts we talk a lot about leadership and the power of influence. There are many ways to influence people and the methods that a leader employs tend to reflect the leader’s values, vision, and skill set. I believe the leadership example we set in our martial arts schools is becoming increasingly important as our national leaders manipulate their way into power with short term strategies that serve their ambition at the expense of the people they purportedly serve.

 Stephen Harper has used fear to manipulate his way to a majority government. Despite inheriting a budget surplus when he took power, Harper has run up the biggest deficit in Canadian history yet he successfully promotes himself and his government as being fiscally conservative. He has the Canadian public in so much fear of how bad things could be if another “less financially conservative” party were in power, that the majority of us are oblivious to the financial damage his party has done in a very short time.

The leader of our official opposition, Thomas Mulcair, has shown his short term political strategy by attempting to cause a divide between the east and the west to gain support for his political ambitions. Blaming Western Canada for Eastern Canada’s economic woes may serve his campaign but at what expense to an already fractured national unity? Why would anyone purposely promote internal strife and conflict in a country he hopes to one day lead?

Yeah, my journalling has been getting more political over the past few years, but come on. When are we going to get leaders who are there to serve the people first and their own ambition second?

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” - Yoda

Work In Progress

The longer I apply myself to mastery I become increasingly aware of how important mindfulness and consistent action are to success. Mindful, consistent action leads to incremental progression and that adds up to big results over time.

Over the past four Ultimate Black Belt Tests that I have been involved in, I have got more things wrong than right. I’ve never been a stranger to mistakes and have made more than the average person. I’ve gone through all the crippling thoughts and emotions that come from facing those mistakes and taking responsibility. Guilt and regret could become overwhelming if I did not like myself. Yes, I am still a work in progress but despite all my imperfections and faults, I like who I am. It would be nice to be perfect and not have a past filled with mistakes but every one of my experiences, including all those mistakes, have brought me to where I am here and now.

If I keep moving forward and do not let challenges or setbacks cripple me, I am guaranteed to be a different person when I go to bed tonight than I was when I woke up this morning. That is all I ask from every day.

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” - Conrad Hilton (1887 - 1979)