Are You Not Entertained?

There is a reason why kung fu took so long to be shared with westerners. Patience and quiet reflection are not common attributes in this part of the world. We want our information delivered quickly and we want it to arrive in small sound bites. We do not have the discipline or patience to absorb the minute details, we just want the highlights so we can move on to something else that has grabbed our attention. This cultural attitude is conducive to learning techniques but not to mastering a system. It takes an extraordinary person to earn a black belt. Unfortunately anyone can get a black belt but there is no greater accomplishment than earning one.

I think we all start on the path to black belt for similar, altruistic reasons: we want more discipline, more control, more peace, etc. At the beginning everything is new and the changes one experiences are palpable. Every lesson spawns a new enlightenment and endless stimulation. Over time we start to take our newfound skill and character for granted, and motivation becomes more difficult. While finding excuses to quit are never difficult, remembering the benefits of continuing becomes a laborious task.

There are no shortcuts to black belt. I know this first hand as I have tried them all. Yes, learning new techniques is infinitely more entertaining and motivating than mastering old ones. It only takes a moment to be reminded of why we started on the path to mastery in the first place. Taking that moment is often the difference between extraordinary and ordinary.

“Don’t just read the easy stuff. You may be entertained by it, but you will never grow from it.” - Jim Rohn (1930 - 2009)