Thought Bubble Required

Yesterday, while en route to the studio for a practice, I got to thinking about my grading, and why I'm doing it. I think a lot while driving, and this time I decided to record my thoughts with the audio recorder on my phone. I felt kinda stupid at first, talking to myself in my car to my phone, but I'll try to transcribe my jumbled thoughts for you now.


When it comes to me personally getting promoted, I didn't care much if I did or not, I was content with what I was doing, I enjoyed what I was doing. I knew I was progressing, albeit slowly, I didn't need the visual effects of extra stripes to satisfy everyone else. But a while ago, Sifu Brinker told me that I needed to start getting promoted, not just for me but for my school, so my students could see that I was actually progressing, that their instructor has what it takes to be their instructor.

Now, thinking about it, it goes beyond those reasons as well. It was selfish of me not to try for my next degree. If I didn't try I couldn't fail, and therefore no one could say I failed. Now, I feel I need to get this thing in order to be what I'm striving to be, to be the leader I need to be. Being a leader is more that telling others what they need to do, where they need to be and helping them to get there. I have to show that I myself am able to take direction, to take what I'm told and apply it, that I am able to progress in my own training. Break the chains of mediocrity.

Sifu Brinker has laid out all these stepping stones for us. I need to show that a) I have full trust in my instructor and b) I am capable and eager to do what is required. How can I encourage others to become leaders if I am unable to follow?

This year I've had a lot of feedback from people, comments about how I've really become a good leader and stepped up my game. It wasn't so much me stepping up my game. I finally, finally listened to Sifu Brinker and trusted myself enough to give it a shot. Now, I'm really hoping others take my example to heart and do it for themselves. Trust in your instructors and trust in yourself.


But, as always, these things are two fold. This is now me thinking, after my grading. I'm sitting here after my grading thinking about what went well and what didn't, what I did right leading up to this day and what I did wrong. Because ultimately, whatever the outcome, it was me and the results are solely on me. If I want to master this, I need to recognize that the results are a reflection of me, and I need to take those results and make them better. Always strive for better. Don't settle for passable; make it great, then make it even better.

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