“Practicing karate improves your lifestyle through health and mental stability. Okinawan karate focuses on developing mental strength and willpower. There is no end in the journey of learning true karate.” (End quote) – Ippei Yagi 8th dan Meibukan Goju Ryu

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Learning anything requires commitment and the ability to push through the uncomfortable feeling of not being very good until reaching competency. While on the path to competency, a little motivation can go a long way.
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Life will throw you many excuses not to train, but it’s up to you to make it work.
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If you are doing martial arts just to get a black belt, you are missing the point and will likely fail in your attempt. You get there through consistent practice with constant, incremental improvement over the long term.
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The belt is a reminder of the tremendous growth you’ve made while training in your art – becoming fit, learning technique, gaining confidence, becoming disciplined, showing respect, overcoming mental and physical challenges – all important life skills that make you into a better person. After all, the black belt is just a belt. It’s the path you take and the mountains you climb while on your journey, that should be your focus and your reward.
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It really is just the beginning. Unfortunately, a large percentage of students, upon earning their black belt, soon quit martial arts training. This is sad for so many reasons. Earning a black belt does not mean there is nothing else to learn. In fact, there are enough applications, subtleties, and variations to explore to last a lifetime.
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There are so many other aspects to your training to add to your current skills, which can increase your understanding of not only how to better defend yourself, but also to have a deeper understand of yourself.
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The journey doesn’t end, but rather it changes from a journey of learning, to a journey of self-discovery.
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(Begin quote) “Okinawa traditional karate is budo.” – (end quote) Ippei Yagi
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‘Bujutsu’ is the martial art you practice, whereas a ‘budo’ is the lifestyle you live and the path you walk. 
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 Photo Credit: TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography: Quote: Okinawa Traditional Karate Channel
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