I'm sure everybody has some perception or idea of what kind of karate-ka they wish to be, or what shape or general design they want their karate to look and feel like. However, I doubt most of us have every put that concept into words and identified the attributes, or even properly defined what we're attempting to do. Sit down right now and take out a pen and paper; efficiency experts in all fields always attribute success in any given endeavor to hinge significantly upon list-making and goal setting. Your karate-career aspirations are goals like any other, and the method by which you get there is a process just like any project for work or school.
Once you have those goals written down, you have a tangible target to aim for. It might be another karate-ka you wish to be able to emulate; becoming the next Frank Brennan or Kagawa Sensei are not easily attained goals. Respectable as that might be, I'd much prefer to be the first me. In that regard, I refer back to a tip I received from Edmond Otis Sensei during a training camp in June of this year. Choose 3 words that you would use to describe the general impression you want your karate to have; I chose dynamic, powerful, flexible. Each of these words have variable definitions and that's kind of the point. I can decide when I'm ready whether or not I've met those words, and then choose to change the definition or change the descriptions entirely.
Having goals is useful puts an "end-point" in sight, and that can be detrimental to our progress. I refer to Andre Bertel Sensei's post, Endless Journey, which soundly ascribes the journey as opposed to the end. I agree the journey is most important, but every trip has stop overs along the way. Create your own layovers and sight-seeing spots, these are your short-term goals. The next rank test or competition are just that, layovers along the way. Your end-goals are the same, not endings but points to continue from.
So tell me what you think of your karate? How do you want your karate to be described? What kind of karate-ka do you want to be?
Once you have those goals written down, you have a tangible target to aim for. It might be another karate-ka you wish to be able to emulate; becoming the next Frank Brennan or Kagawa Sensei are not easily attained goals. Respectable as that might be, I'd much prefer to be the first me. In that regard, I refer back to a tip I received from Edmond Otis Sensei during a training camp in June of this year. Choose 3 words that you would use to describe the general impression you want your karate to have; I chose dynamic, powerful, flexible. Each of these words have variable definitions and that's kind of the point. I can decide when I'm ready whether or not I've met those words, and then choose to change the definition or change the descriptions entirely.
Having goals is useful puts an "end-point" in sight, and that can be detrimental to our progress. I refer to Andre Bertel Sensei's post, Endless Journey, which soundly ascribes the journey as opposed to the end. I agree the journey is most important, but every trip has stop overs along the way. Create your own layovers and sight-seeing spots, these are your short-term goals. The next rank test or competition are just that, layovers along the way. Your end-goals are the same, not endings but points to continue from.
So tell me what you think of your karate? How do you want your karate to be described? What kind of karate-ka do you want to be?
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