So, you wanna be a black belt? Or maybe you haven't even really thought about it? Maybe you just started training, and you're just trying to wrap your head around the new guard pass you just learned, or how to stand up in base, and trying to make it all make sense. Black belt is so far away it's not even realistically on your radar yet....but why not? You're gonna be somewhere 10 years from now...why not be a black belt in Jiu-jitsu?
If you're just starting on the path, yes, black belt is a long way away. But it is definitely achievable. So, if you're serious about your Jiu-jitsu training, make it a goal. It is a long term goal for sure, but it should be a goal. So how do you get there? The very first step is to commit to it. Set the goal, write it down if you have to, and decide TODAY that you will achieve it. The timeline doesn't matter. It may take you 10 years, it may take you 25 years. Don't get too hung up on the details. Life is still gonna happen. Things are going to come up that may interfere from you training as consistently as you want. There may be things that pull you away from the mat temporarily. Try to avoid extended breaks, but just make sure you make it back to the mat as soon as possible when these things inevitably happen. Pace yourself. It's YOUR journey, not anyone else's. But the biggest thing you have to do is commit to yourself that you're gonna stick with it and achieve that goal. And if you truly believe in it and commit yourself to it, you absolutely can accomplish it. It is a long road, but like any journey you take it one step at a time. Your progress may seem slow or even non-existent at times. Stick with it. You are learning, you are improving, you are getting better, even on the days you don't think so. Show up, even on the days you don't feel like it.....ESPECIALLY on those days. You're gonna have good days and bad days on the mat. Everyone does. That's the nature of Jiu-jitsu. But if you want to get to black belt, the one thing you CAN'T do is quit....and MOST people quit, long before then. Jiu-jitsu is hard, and to get to that level takes a very long time, and a lot of commitment, dedication, and discipline. That's why there aren't that many black belts. So decide for yourself TODAY, and make the commitment that you will still be standing there after many of your former teammates have long since given up on their Jiu-jitsu journey.
So, if you want to be a black belt, what then, IS a black belt? What does it really mean to be a black belt in Jiu-jitsu. It has often been said, a black belt is just a white belt that never stopped training. There is a lot of truth to that statement. If you just keep showing up, eventually, slowly, over time, the belt colors change, and one day if you stick with it, you will see that black belt wrapped around your waist. Realistically, it's hard to really understand what it really means until you've worn it for a while. Helio Gracie said that black belt is the best place to start learning Jiu-jitsu! What??? Just start learning??? Yep....most definitely! I've been a black belt for over a decade now, and I can confidently say that I have learned more about Jiu-jitsu since earning my black belt than I did in all of my time at the lower ranks. Obviously, there is a certain objective level of skill that goes with being awarded the black belt. But, essentially, black belt just means that you're now a serious student. You've made a commitment to Jiu-jitsu, not just as something that you do, but it is now part of who you are. You have decided to embrace Jiu-jitsu as part of your lifestyle. That means committing yourself not only to consistently training and improving yourself on the mat, but also striving to improve yourself in ALL aspects of your life off of the mat as well. As a black belt, you are now a representative of Jiu-jitsu, of your academy, of your instructor, of your team....but most importantly, you represent YOURSELF. Have the humility to know that you don't know it all, you can still learn from everyone, and embrace the opportunity to constantly continue to challenge yourself and look for ways to improve in every aspect of your life....from your diet, your exercise routine, your Jiu-jitsu training, your work, your personal relationships with your family and friends, and how you treat others and interact with the world around you. Be a black belt at LIFE!
Black belt certainly doesn't mean you've arrived, that you know everything, that you'll never tap again, that you'll "win" every round on the mat. Quite the contrary. As with many things in life, the more you learn, the more you realize how much you don't know. Black belt is the time to take the opportunity to re-learn all of the things you learned at the lower ranks, but at a much deeper level of understanding. The best part about black belt is, you no longer have to worry about promotions, so you can really just focus on training and learning.
It has been said, the black belts are not who's best, but who's left. So, the question to ask yourself is, will you be one of those few that are left? It's up to you. It is your choice. But you can decide today, and if you commit to it, you surely can be!
