He’s now a black belt.

Just the term “black belt” conjures up certain images in your mind doesn’t it?

“Disciplined and dangerous” are terms that come to mind for me.  I picture someone who is incredibly dedicated and disciplined, and because of that they’re now very dangerous – for good.  Don’t mess with a black belt.

The amount of time and effort someone has to put in to become, in this case, a black belt in Karate, is overwhelming in many respects.  This is not an easy feat.  Not many people have what it takes to do this.  It really takes an exceptional person to be able to accomplish this.  Mental, emotional and physical focus and toughness are the prerequisites for, and precursors to, a black belt in karate.

One of my clients recently attained his black belt in Karate.  He is 50 years old, the high-level leader of a large corporation, a family man, and an all-round great guy.  He had his brown belt for quite a while, and last year decided to make his black belt a goal to achieve within a year.

He did it.

His investment in this accomplishment is amazing:  Over 10 years of training, more than 300 hours of high-level training this past year alone; participation in an intense 4 day “Jasshuku” training and assessment “boot camp” led by Japanese Karate masters, a 3,000 word essay on Karate, and a written exam all led up to…

…a 15 minute test.

The funnel of preparation and training was overwhelmingly massive compared to the time of testing that actually led to him being awarded his black belt.

It’s like leadership isn’t it?

It’s about the training, not the test.  If you have not put the time and energy into the training then you will not do well in the time of testing.  You have to be willing to do the heavy lifting.  You have to put the work in.  You have to see the significance of the journey, in order to arrive at a great destination.

Good things take time.  Whenever you see someone demonstrating significant skill publicly, be assured they have invested hundreds of hours privately to develop their ability.

Sadly, many people want the glory without paying the price to get it.  If you want to win the game, you have to put time into the practice.  Sun Tsu the ancient Chinese Warlord who wrote The Art of War said,

“Victory is reserved for those who are willing to pay its price.”

Are you willing to pay the price for victory?  Are you willing to pay the price for excellence?  Are you willing to pay the price to become a great leader?

My friend paid the price to accomplish the goal of attaining his black belt – and he’s richer for it.  No matter what you choose to do or not do there will be a price to pay.  When we choose to take risks we risk failure, but when we choose not to take risks we risk even more.

The value is in the training; in the investment you make in time, effort and resource to become more than you currently are.  There is no advancement without effort and sacrifice.  It’s actually in the striving where the growth occurs.  It’s the striving to move forward and advance that refines us and enables us to grow and progress.

The test simply reveals the training.

As Teddy Roosevelt said,

“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

It’s about the training.  So, how are you investing in your leadership development?