White Belt Mentality
At one point or another, we’ve all set out to achieve some lofty goal that never comes to fruition. Maybe you saw something on TV that inspired you.
A quick glimpse of a Greek God-like figure and an “In thirty days you could look like this” flashes across your screen. What failed to appear were the years of dedication, meticulous calorie counting, countless failures, and possible injuries that person had to endure to get their 3 minutes of infomercial fame.
The thought hits, “hey, if they can do that, so can I,” as you reach for another cookie because tomorrow is when you’ll get serious.
The next day you’re beaming with the motivation to achieve this newly acquired goal. Every unfortunate bystander, friend, and neighbor’s dog will hear about it. They might even praise you for your tenacity!
The problem is your brain cannot distinguish the difference between having already achieved this goal and the praise you are receiving currently, and before you know it. You’re back on your couch watching a new tv show that simply demands your attention. Whatever idea of transformation fades into the abyss of lost hopes and dreams. The cycle continues.
This can happen with any range of initiatives for change.
Want change? We must start small. Think of yourself as a white belt in this game of life.
A white belt is at the bottom of the hierarchy in martial arts. They work diligently to improve their rankings with hopes of one day becoming a black belt, but even that is not the point.
A white belt must fully immerse themselves within the process. Consistent practice and effort, day after day, sometimes reviewing a particular technique a hundred times. The results will come. What matters is that you show up every day and work on your craft even but a little.
A white belt mentality is a humble one. You are here to learn and make mistakes, but you must commit to your word. The size of the commitment is irrelevant, as it is the small steps that climb the mountain.
Approach all things as a White belt. You’re here to learn and grow, but be consistent. Results will come, but the magic is in the process.
