Measuring Stick

Last week in class, my instructor taught all the black belts in class a very important lesson that I've decided to put out here for others to see. To paraphrase him, he said that we will be measured by the same stick we use to measure others. In other words, we will be held to the same standard we hold others to.

This is of utmost importance for us as instructors since we are typically setting the standards for those we instruct. We tell them when they are ready to test for their next belt, how their stances should look, what they should be thinking while performing a particular kata, how much effort to put in a workout, etc. While there's nothing wrong with any of this, just beware that an exceptionally high or an unreasonable standard can and will be imposed on us. That can come from the students themselves, the students' parents (in the case of children), your instructor, the landlord....the list goes on.

Of course, the same can be said about setting too low a standard....