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BEGINNERS vs. BLACK BELTS
By Jesse Enkamp on
To become an expert martial artist, you must have a beginner's mind.
Just look at these kids learning Karate kicks and self-defense at my seminar. Imagine if a black belt could have the same white belt enthusiasm. They could learn so many new techniques!
Unfortunately, the higher rank you achieve - the more you have to lose. That's why advanced martial artist become stiff and boring. Because they're afraid of the humility that progress requires. So they hide behind a mask of "seriousness". Eventually, they lose motivation and quit. I call this the Black Belt Syndrome.
The solution? You need to have The Beginner's Mind. In Japanese, we call this "Shoshin" (初心). It's a state of no judgement and lack of preconceived notions. The optimal mindset for learning.
This is what grandmasters in Japan, Okinawa and China have figured out. That's what made them master the art.
"In the beginner's mind, the possibilities are endless. In the expert's mind, they are few."
Good luck!
