Maturity of Technique
November 6, 2009
People seem to be in a rush these days. Rushing to get from work to the gym. Rushing to get to the next vacation. Rushing to get promoted to the next level at work. I’ve certainly been guilty of all three at different points in my life. But sometimes it’s better to take it slow.
When I started training in the martial arts, nearly 30 years ago, I took to it instantly…and intensely. My life at that time consisted primarily of work and karate. Sometimes I took as many as four classes in a single day. I clearly remember the head instructor seeing me in my fourth class, and muttering to no one in particular, “Rosenberg’s hooked…”
Because I was putting in so much time and effort in my training, I was able to move up through the various belt levels much faster than was typical. I ultimately got my first-degree black belt in just two years when four years was the norm at that particular school.
But my training partner kept chiding me to not keep testing and getting promoted so quickly. “But I’ve mastered the skills required for each belt level,” I protested. He agreed, but pointed out something profound: “There’s such a thing,” he explained, “as maturity of technique.”
Instead of getting promoted from orange belt to green belt, he suggested, why not spend a little more time there and get everything out of being an orange belt you possibly can?
This same concept applies to absolutely everything you do at work and at home. It translates to living deliberately.- to squeezing everything you possibly can out of everything you do and every situation you experience.
This alone won’t earn you a Black Belt in the martial arts (or even in Business Self-Defense), but it is an essential skill to achieving great things and living a rich life.
Comments
One Response to “Maturity of Technique”
Got something to say?
This article reminds me of a similar situation with my daughter, who was able to master piano tunes the first time around, so saying “practice makes perfect” didn’t go far in convincing her to spend more time on the piano bench. Instead — practice makes permanent became the mantra –