I think most of the black belts that will attend camps or classes with Hanshi and Kaicho this month will once again be reminded that earning a black belt doesn't mean that you have learned everything. Indeed they have mastered the basics and are now ready to begin a lifelong journey of continued learning of more and more sophisticated material and the intangibles of life and the martial arts.

I like to think of earning a Shodan as much like graduating from high school. Now college and graduate school lie ahead. Soon afterward teaching consumes you and you move through the ranks of instructor, assistant professor, associate professor and full professor. Possibly one or two will become the dean of the college or even president. All the while the learning process never ends.

Our society is currently moving from an era of man power to one of mind power. In the information age, knowledge is king. Those people who develop the ability to continuously acquire new knowledge and information and more efficient ways to accomplish tasks will be the movers and shakers in our society for the indefinite future.

Knowledge is doubling every two to three years in almost every occupation and profession, including yours. This means that your knowledge must double every two to three year for you to just stay even.

People who are not aggressively and continuously upgrading their knowledge and skills are not staying in the same place. They are falling behind.

The martial arts are no different. As students we attend class to maintain what we have learned, learn new material and to continue perfecting the basics, which is the foundation of success.

THIS is not enough. We must continue to read, study, train, attend seminars and continue our growth just to keep up with others. This is extremely important for black belts and instructors.

This is a month that presents great opportunities to learn new things, improve on old things and work on your learning skills and strategies. Remember to watch Hanshi, Kaicho and the senior belts as they help your neighbor. Please don’t talk through the instruction or demonstration. Observe the nuances and fine points of the technique. Don’t tell your seniors “in my dojo we do it this way”. Remember your manners and protocol and thank the senior even if you have no intention of doing things the way you were just shown. The better your protocol and the more you show respect, the better the odds you will receive more attention and training.

Don’t forget that you “earn” your instruction. Earn it and take full advantage of the “gift” you receive. You have the opportunity to work with Hanshi and Kaicho, two of the alltime greats. Wow! What more can I say? Treasure it. Joining the learning generation and deciding to become a student for the rest of your life will propel you to future successes you have only dreamed of. This key principle of “black belt excellence” is imperative in and out of the dojo.