“There are many people around the world who are good at ‘kata’. There are many people who are strong in ‘kumite’. Instead of strong or weak, or good or poor, I think it is meaningful to work hard.” – Akihito Yagi 8th dan Meibukan Goju Ryu
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(I believe that Yagi sensei was inferring that working hard in each discipline is preferable than JUST working hard.)
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One of the biggest myths is that hard work alone pays off. It does not. The solution to this is not to train harder. The solution is to train smarter. You have to look at what you’re doing with a critical approach and be honest. Ask yourself; “is what i’m learning useful? What are the flaws in my training? Why did I fail or succeed? How can I be better?”
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Success is about having the RIGHT kind of training. Just working hard thinking you’re going to be successful doesn’t make it so.
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The martial arts and learning karate is a journey that requires dedication and time. You may think that the journey ends at a specific belt or rank, but that’s not true. Many karate-ka devote their entire lives to practice and self-improvement.
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For those that choose karate, the lessons you learn resonate through more than just the classes in the dojo. Karate has many philosophies that can serve you in daily life too. To truly devote your life to karate, to learn and understand the lessons, you will have to give it time.
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Understand that it’s meant to be the journey, not necessarily the destination. So enjoy the journey. Take time and work hard.
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The journey doesn’t end….. but rather it changes from a journey of learning, to a journey of discovery. 
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 Photo credit: Akihito Yagi 8th dan Meibukan Goju Ryu
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