| So I was thinking about graduation this weekend…
it’s going to be awesome by the way!
Great demonstrations by students and Blackbelts, promotions, Vision, fun and fellowship!
Beginners (white, yellow, orange belts) at 10 am, Intermediate (purple, blue, green) at 1130am and Advancing (brown, red and blackbelts) at 1pm.
At Christ Cumberland Church 19501 Holly Ln, Lutz, FL 33548
You gotta be there!
Speaking of graduation, though, every graduation is just what the term implies, or should, to us.
Graduation is never the end of something, but the beginning of something more.
This is me expressing my philosophy, by the way, so feel free to let me know what you think about it.
What I am suggesting is that graduations, in the martial arts, or academics, or trade specific training, should not signal to us that we have arrived.
A high school or college degree is a graduation to start life long learning and, if we have done school well, has prepared us to begin the higher level learning we will receive in our callings and careers.
A Blackbelt graduation marks the beginning of the Blackbelt Quest for Mastery, and, again, if done well prepared the new Blackbelt Leader for a life of success and life long learning too.
On the way to Blackbelt, students develop Confidence and competence- in self defense skills, healthy physical and mental habits, communication and leadership skills.
They have developed the Foundational Blackbelt Leadership Superpowers: Focus, Respect, Discipline, Confidence, Gratitude and Vision.
They are equipped to go out into the world to continue learning, growing and to begin sowing- to make a positive difference in not only their own lives but in the lives of those they will love and lead!
I looked up the definition of the word, “graduation”.
This is what I found:
-
the receiving or conferring of an academic degree or diploma.
-
the action of dividing into degrees or other proportionate divisions on a graduated scale.
The first is the event- the celebration and recognition of one’s academic or, as in the case of my students next steps this weekend, their character, martial arts and leadership training…
But I would argue the second pertains too.
We should see ourselves, and those that we have the honor of sowing into, as growing and developing “on a graduated scale” and, like that container, we are marked by recognition of a particular quantity (and I would add quality) of learning and growth at various milestones in our life .
A Certified 1st Degree Blackbelt is a great accomplishment, and the Blackbelt has learned a lot; but it’s nothing compared to what they grow in the next two years to Blackbelt Leader, 2nd Degree. The Senior Blackbelt will always speak to how much he or she has progressed since that, and of course the Masters, 4th Degree or above, are on a whole other level of physical, mental and leadership skill.
It’s like this in everything- our careers, passions, purpose and callings…
There is always a next level.
You just have to decide what it is and if you want it.
And once you do, you get to start learning again.
and, oh by the way, don’t let the knowledge that there is a potential life long journey ever stop you from taking that first step.
Even partial progress is better than none, and you can decide what goals you want to set.
Some never get started, and that’s always the first step.
Every Blackbelt was a new white belt at first!
Congratulations to all the students graduating to next steps on their Blackbelt Leadership journey Saturday!
And, if you would like to join us on this journey, please call Alex at 813-948-4844 or click here for more info and to begin your 2 week free trial and orientation program.
Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!
Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts
TampaKravMaga.com StephenDelCastillo.com
p.s. Shihan Harley’s (my eldest son and senior student) 5th degree Blackbelt speech at the Blackbelt Retreat last September.
|
