Martial Arts: What are our goals?

I've been thinking a lot about goals lately.  For those of us that continually train in the martial arts, we might think about the motivating factors behind our training as continuous goal setting:  small goals, mid-range goals, long-range goals--you get the idea.  Because learning the arts is such a cyclical process, goals give us a way to benchmark our training and a checklist by which we can measure our own progress:  new techniques, new forms, new belts, new vistas of understanding.

In one of my earlier posts, I wrote about SMART criteria for goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely).  I think it's a wonderful way to form the kinds of goals that will make us most effective in their pursuit.  However, I'm not going to get into that again today.  Today, I'm more interested in the philosophical implications of our goals, particularly as they relate to the martial arts.

Whenever I see a martial arts school, I take a peek inside.  Partly because I'm a gigantic MA nerd, and I always want to be somewhere martial arts are being practiced, but also partly because I want to take in a quick sense of what a school's philosophy might be.  More than a few times, I have seen posters and banners with the sentence, "The (or Our) goal is black belt."

Alright, fair enough.  Black belt is a legitimate goal--of course, by itself, it doesn't meet SMART criteria, but it is still a specific enough target to work towards.  But, in looking at that approach, I'm often curious if sometimes "achieving black belt" supersedes "learning excellent martial arts," "developing our character," or many other philosophical goals that go hand in hand with the black belts I admire, and the black belt that I'm always trying to be.

It makes a lot of sense to make black belt the goal, especially early on.  I'm sure all of us have come into contact with a black belt or two (or fifty) who were just knock-your-socks-off awesome.  It is a serious motivator when we first enter class.  In fact, the impression made by a black belt (or an exceptional color-belt) can make or break the prospective student's level of faith in the school and what it represents.  So, of course we want to be that person.  Who wouldn't?

The grandmaster of Shotokan karate, Gichin Funakoshi, is famously attributed to the quotation, "The ultimate goal (sometimes translated as aim) of karate lies neither in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants."  Good stuff.  That is an excellent philosophical goal for a school or a style.  It's even a good goal for the individual, but saying "I want to perfect my character" is not enough, to my thinking.

So, what is it?  Great technique, serious character development, tournament victories, schools opened from coast to coast?  These are all fine philosophical goals, and I can't make a judgment call that would negate any of them.  Honestly, I would like to pursue every big martial arts goal in my power.  I probably don't want to compete in the octagon (it just doesn't seem to register well in my risk/reward analysis), but I do want to be a better fighter.  I doubt I will spearhead a national expansion of a martial art, but I'd sure like to be a part of one (or two).

But, let's step away from the big, sweeping things for a minute.  The main reason goals are so firmly planted in my mind lately is, a parent of a student said to me, "I want my son to be a black belt."  We talked briefly about that, and I told him a bit about my journey towards Shodan and Chodan (both first degree black belts), and as we spoke, I came to an answer that was nothing short of serendipity.

Before I get to it, let me describe for a moment what a black belt is, to me.  A black belt isn't something that you are, it isn't something that you have, and it isn't something you've earned.  "Black belt" is something that you DO.  It is a decision to embrace excellence on every level.  I've known (and know) white belts who are black belts to be.  Even if it's just for a day, that attitude takes hold of them, and they experience a taste of everything I love about the martial arts.  On the flip side, I've known black belts who (even for a short period of time) forget that attitude, and at that moment, the most impressively tattered old shihan black belt won't overcome that lack of spirit.  Thankfully, that veer from "the way" seems often short.  We all have bad days, and I think it's possible that, as people who are not perfect, we can't always be black belts--even if we've earned one.

What I said to the parent that's stuck with me is this:  "I want your son to love the martial arts as much as I do.  Every other goal I can think of will follow that.  He's doing the legwork of that right now:  trying everything I ask him to try, doing more than he thinks he can, and grinning like a maniac the entire time."  Thinking over that conversation has brought me to my newest martial arts goal:  I want to always be surrounded by people who love the martial arts.  Enthusiasm is contagious--especially the enthusiasm of a new student.  It can make the experience feel like new for everyone on the mat.  OSU!