Persistence!
"I
failed my Black Belt twice in succession
- but that's no reason to give up!"
There's nothing like
wearing a Black Belt, especially when you have just graded and everyone comes
over to congratulate you. Just after I had graded, Jeff Smith came over to
me, shook my hand and we had a little chat. Shortly afterwards, he asked me
to write up a short story about my black belt and what it takes to achieve
it. For me, it's easy...never give up! Here is my short story:
I failed
my black belt twice in succession before finally passing on third attempt.
During the time between failures I was very frustrated about all my companions
going through and being a black belt despite knowing I could do the same.
I never gave
up, I couldn't look in the mirror and see a failure or and a coward, so I
pushed through and worked only harder to achieve my ambition. If you want
something enough, you have to put in the work because no one will simply give
it to you.
You realise
when you are ready to pass; you can feel it when you walk into the dojo. You
know that all your hard work the past 6 months have prepared you enough to
know the syllabus off by heart. Everything you know can be performed in perfect
movement, the examiners cannot intimidate you now.
I did it...I
passed on my third attempt. I passed with confidence and only more flare to
be the best. Never give up, never lose focus and never doubt your abilities.
There's a
feeling you get when you wear the Black Belt, but I'll let you find that out
for yourself and you will if you never give up.
Tom
Spooner
Web construction by
Jeff
Smith Insight
Training
