Today, the Martial arts school I teach at hosted a black belt and higher degree test.
At the end of the test, one of the spectators said, “that wasn’t as hard as I remember them being… “
And what I said to them in response was, “they’re only ever as hard as the candidate makes them…. “
Martial arts tests are very much like sprints… If you engage with the test at a pace that’s equivalent to a brisk walk or light jog… of course it’s not gonna be as hard as it could be…
But, if you engage with the test at a pace that’s equivalent of a sprint and you put your whole life force into each and every move… How could it not be one of the hardest things you’ve had to do?
I’ll tell you one thing… The people who put their whole life force into the belt test put on a very different black belt/higher degree than those who give their brisk walk effort.
…And the same is true with how we engage with life.