The famous football great, Vince Lombardi, once said, “The
difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength,
not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” What he was talking about
was perseverance, seeing things through to the finish no matter how difficult
it is or how many barriers stand before you. That perseverance of will is the
key to success in all things.
Perseverance is not only an important attribute for a Black
Belt to have, but is something that all martial artists need to have to become
a Black Belt. It is important to acknowledge that perseverance is not your
passion, intensity, or desire to succeed while making an effort. It is getting
back up when you fall down. It is using a failure or shortcoming as a lesson
and practicing, learning, and trying again, and again, until you succeed.
As the famous idiom goes, “where there is a will there is a
way.” What it is saying is that through perseverance, the active embodiment of
determination, you can achieve whatever you set your mind to, regardless of how
challenging it is. Being a Black Belt is about so much more than being a
skilled martial artist. It is about being in complete control of yourself, and
maximizing your potential. It is about being a leader, a success, a friend, a
community member, and a role model. And mastering your perseverance is key to
being all of those.
You will face obstacles, sometimes seemingly insurmountable,
in all aspects of your life. While walking away, avoiding, or redirecting a
problem onto someone else may make the problem go away or delay it for another
day what it won’t do is get you closer to your goal.
When you train yourself to persevere (yes, this takes
practice) you build the good habit of doing whatever you can to achieve what
you need. And when you combine that habit with the others you practice, like
courtesy, modesty, commitment, respect, selflessness, compassion, etc…, you
better yourself and everyone around you. You will become a role model for
success, leadership, and community. You will become a Black Belt.
Just remind yourself when something gets in your way, “go
over, go under, go around, or go through, but never give up.”
