Earning a Black Belt

Earning my black belt is the most significant accomplishment of my life. It was ego and testosterone that fueled my drive to acquire the skill to earn the rank. Somewhere along the way things changed. I became more interested in the mental discipline than the physical discipline. My eyes were opened to the world and Kung Fu permeated everything I touched and experienced. I am who I am because of Kung Fu.

The value of the black belt is found in what I had to accomplish to earn it. The key word is earn. That concept continues to be a difficult one for many of us in the west. We are used to buying things more than earning. Earning is for money and money is for buying things. I have had people approach earning their black belt as a just a matter of time proposition. You spend the time, you earn the rank. Fortunately, that is not how it happens. It is not the time that earns you the black belt, it is what you do with the time that does.

As an instructor entrusted with upholding the integrity of the rank of black belt, I have to be careful to ensure my students earn the rank. I am willing to do what I can to help them achieve the rank but I can only go so far. If I help them too much, they will not earn it. That is why, during their promotion ceremony, my black belts are never handed their black belts. The belt is placed before them and it is up to them to take it. I black belt is never given.

 “I learned the value of hard work by working hard.” - Margaret Mead (1901-1978)