Effort and Consistency
Imagine that your belt and rank are temporary. Why? Because they represent your knowledge and skill level which are not necessarily permanent. What if at the start of every year you reset to white belt and were required to demonstrate your current knowledge and skill to re-acquire your rank? Would you maintain your previous level? Would you could go up a belt or even drop down to a lower rank?
These skills we learn, the knowledge of kata, the physical abilities, strength and fitness, they fade with time. Without constant practice and revision they can be lost. Certainly at times I have forgotten parts of a kata I haven’t practiced for a while. (There’s a lot to remember!) With a brief revision it comes back but it is so easy to lose these things that we work hard to attain.
Achieving a black belt is a great accomplishment. You will always have a black belt but you may not always BE a black belt. This applies to every belt. Effort is a choice. You don’t have to be the best that you can be, but if you want to, it’s up to you to do the work consistently.
Or just have fun… 🤷🏻♂️
Enso Karate 