“You rank is not an entitlement.” ??
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Kanei Uechi (上地完英, June 26, 1911 – February 23, 1991) was the son of Kanbun Uechi, founder of Uechi-Ryū, one of the primary karate styles of Okinawa. Kanei was instrumental in the growth of Uechi-Ryū after his father’s death.
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You rank is not an entitlement, nor is it a privilege. It is given to you to better serve those above and below you. You are entrusted with this honor because your sensei believes that you can represent your art, your sensei, and the dojo.
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If your black belt did not cost you many years of your life, great physical and emotional pain, and the loss of important social activities, it was not earned.
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In short, if you did not work for it, then it is meaningless! And you KNOW that! The bottom line is that if a rank did not take years of blood, sweat and tears to attain then it’s not worth anything.
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I don’t think that many people will disagree that what should be more important than rank (from the perspective of the student), is what a teacher knows and what they can teach them. Every grade, especially a dan grade, should be earned through time, effort and study.
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Instead of hoping for you next black belt. Work for it. “The student who knows ‘how’, will remain a student. The student who knows ‘why’ will become a teacher.”
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? Photo Credit: Ihor Rymaruk
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With thanks to Prince Loeffler and the Shugyokan Dojo