When I gained my black belt I gained a lot more than a certificate and an embroidered black belt. I gained the confidence to pursue my dreams.  I knew that if I could get my black belt, then there was nothing I couldn’t do.

Achieving black belt rank gave me that confidence, and the martial arts training gave me the method.  In fact, I believe that martial arts training is excellent training for life itself.

Let me explain…

I started martial arts training knowing nothing other than a fascination for martial arts. I was taught the foundations, which must be correct and strong. If the foundations are incorrect and weak then they will not support the following work, skills, and challenges. It will all collapse.

The first grading, because of its unfamiliarity, was the most daunting. I had to demonstrate that I had learnt the foundations well, that I understood the stances, could perform a correct punch, lower strike, front kick and the first kata. Passing that grading granted me a great sense of satisfaction—as well as boosting my self-confidence. I had set a goal and achieved it, and I was one step closer to my black belt.

The next level of training built on those foundations. I learnt moves that were harder, that took time to perfect. I sat another grading, passed, and was another step closer to my goal.

Each time I passed a grading I was affirming my commitment to my goal. I could see myself getting closer and closer. Step by step, each one achievable, each one broken down into even smaller steps that I could see and master.

I worked, practiced, and trained regularly.

The Brown Belt grading was the hardest colour rank grading, but I passed that too. Now I had expressed both to my Sensei, to the class, and to myself that I was dedicated to achieving the goal, that nothing was going to stop me. I knew that I could get there if I just did not stop working towards it. It was all getting tougher, and I could quit any time I chose to, but I knew that if I did I would regret it for the rest of my life.

Each system differs, but in the style I studied there were two more grades after brown belt—black tip brown belt and double black tip brown belt. Wearing a brown belt, with or without tips, demanded a respectful demeanor in class. No more joking around, I was now expected to be a role model in class, to demonstrate correct dojo behavior and etiquette to the lower grades and newcomers. In other words, I had to start behaving as a black belt would, as if I had already achieved the goal.

To prepare for the black belt grading I trained hard, went to gym, jogged, and studied. I was fitter than I had ever been in my life.

The grading day came and I was prepared. There was no nervousness, just an impatience to get on with it.

The grading was long, exhausting and painful, but I gave everything I had to give. The support and encouragement of fellow classmates who had come to fight with me and shout their support reminded me that I was not just doing this for me, I was doing this for them too—to motivate them on their own black belt quest.

I passed that grading. At age 33 years, the mother of two young children, I passed my black belt grading. I had done it. I had achieved the biggest goal I had set thus far in my life.

I had my black belt, and as well as the respect of my classmates, I also respected myself more than ever because not once had I considered quitting. Black belt was always the goal. I never wavered, I never ummed and aahed, the goal was always: black belt.

That success was a major turning point in my life. It told me, in dramatic form, that I could achieve anything I set my mind to—so long as I didn’t quit, so long as my commitment remained true.

Now what? Now I work towards an even bigger goal: to be a published Novelist. It is a goal I have quietly harbored since childhood, and it is a goal I am still working towards, but my black belt tells me to not give up, to keep trying, to keep working at it, to keep my commitment strong.

Goals, big or small, are achievable, if we plan how to make the journey from start to finish. What steps are involved? What skills will we need to learn along the way? How great is our commitment?

The martial arts training system breaks the journey down into steps, and teaches students to take pride in achieving those steps, to celebrate those steps.

Martial arts training is life training, it teaches you how to achieve your goals, both in and out of the dojo.

Grading over. Tired, bruised, but oh so glad that we did this.
An experience never to be forgotten.

“We did it, Buddy!” (Dawn and Robyn)