TIME

When I first started my journey towards my black belt, I didn't really understand what it would take to reach my goal. I listened to what my teachers told me but I didn't really hear them. At first I was jumping through hoops, doing what I thought others wanted me to do  and what I thought that I should be doing. I was not successful! I spent the better part of a year wandering about without focus. One day, I realized that there was nothing left for me to do except get down to it. I started to take ownership for my training and figured out that the only thing that lay between me and my goal was me. Although I had completed many reps of my forms and techniques and combinations, I hadn't spent any "time" with them. I needed to do my forms mindfully, feel how it was to move the way I wanted to and seek feedback from my mentors on how to make improvements. I spent hours and hours, with no distractions,with myself. I focused on every aspect of being a good martial artist and took the steps that I thought were important to help me reach my goal. It took me a long time to figure this out and once I did, it took a long time to reach my goal. It doesn't need to take you a long time to reach your goals, just a period of time where you are consistently, mindfully working towards them (Take consistent action!). If you are serious about your goals and you want to do it right, there are no short cuts, no easy way, just hard work and commitment.