I’ve been stumbling over the concept and application of mastery lately. One of my favorite podcasts on a regular rotation is “Finding Mastery” by my friend and colleague, Dr. Michael Gervais. Mike is a world-class High Performance Psychologist who through his interviews, explores how the best in the world master their craft. If you haven’t listened to it yet, you should. Check it our here: https://findingmastery.net/category/podcasts/
Mastery has also unexpectedly found me lately. Some of the most fulfilling moments of my military career are occurring as it winds down. I am in a unique position of being able to positively influence an entire generation of Army leaders who will literally replace me. An example of this work is through one-on-one counseling sessions with junior Army Officers that we refer to as Mastery. I borrowed this term from my experiences using the same format while teaching at West Point’s Center for Enhanced Performance.
Through mastery, we cover a wide range of topics from building trust, goal setting, mentally preparing for Ranger school, and how focus and be more present in the moment. These young men and women are on a path to mastering their craft as leaders who will be leading Soldiers into combat. What they don’t realize is that through our mastery work together, I am gaining as much from them, as they are from me. This is the essence of mastery.
What is Mastery?
When we use the term mastery, we’re talking about a process. The ancient Greeks called the process of finding mastery Kyrios, which is best explored through philosophy, or the study of how to live a virtuous life. In this light, mastery is the life long process of learning and growing as a human being and contributing member of our society.
To become a master of any craft, the challenge is learning how to take knowledge, skills, and experience and then turn it into expertise that serves others for a common good. Mastery is ultimately not necessarily about you, but it certainly starts with you. To this end, I wanted to share a story that I hope guides you on your own path to mastery.
Jigaro Kano: Master of Mastery
Born in 1860, Jigaro Kano (Jig-ar-o Cane-o) is the “master of mastery” that you’ve most likely never heard of. Like a real life Obi-wan Kenobi from Star Wars, Jigaro Kano was a master of many things. The foremost of which was being a Sensei or teacher who serves others.
As the founder of Judo, Kano created and developed the martial art based on various other disciplines. As a sport, Judo became the first martial art to be a sanctioned athletic competition in the Olympic Games. As a skill designed to build fitness and confidence, Kano taught Judo to the Japanese military and police forces. Through Judo, Soldiers and Police Officers learned how to better defend themselves, their communities, and homeland.
As Judo’s popularity increased, it became a vehicle to better educate children. Later in his life, Jigaro Kano served as Japan’s Minster of Education, ushering in a program that is today considered the gold standard for youth education in the world.
In 1936, at the age of 70, Jigaro Kano embarked on a long journey by boat to mainland China. By this time, he was a Judo Grandmaster which is considered the apex of his craft. Due to harsh conditions at sea, what began as a common head cold quickly advanced to severe pneumonia.
As his health deteriorated, Kano summoned his inner circle. Now on his death bed, his disciples asked to honor his final requests and prepare his body for burial at sea. His closest advisor began wrapping his frail body in the traditional gi.
As he began to fasten Kano’s long worn black belt around his waist, Kano suddenly stopped him. Barely able to speak, he whispered, “put on my white belt.” Shocked and confused, his advisor asked “Master, why your white belt and not your black belt? You are our sensei and the grandmaster!” Kano replied with his last dying breath, “Because I will enter the next life as I lived this life…wearing my white belt.”
White Belt Meaning
To the layperson, a white belt is simply the color of the cloth belt worn by novices or beginner students in any martial art like Judo. Jigaro Kano considered the symbolism and meaning of the person wearing the white belt. The white belt represents a philosophy or approach to honing one’s craft with humility and courage while keeping the minds and heart open to learning.
White Belt Legacy
Over the course of his lifetime, Kano watched his white belts practice, fail, improve and then repeat this process over and over again until they advanced and grew as human beings, not just athletes and martial artists. He watched his first students, who all started as white belts, eventually earn their black belts and go on to teach others in Judo just as he did. Over time, those student became teachers and so this pattern continued.
White Belt Mindset
Whether you’re a novice or considered an expert in your craft, if you want to find true mastery, you should always wear your white belt. The white belt represents a growth mindset or pattern of thinking. The white belt mindset is a choice about how you think. How you think affects how you see yourself, how you see others, and how you anticipate, act, and react to events that happen to you.
The more you apply and practice the white belt mindset through quality repetition, the more unconsciously competent you will become. Over time, the white belt mindset will not just be a part of what you do, but an integral component of who you are.
Mastery in Action
Choose to wear your white belt by deliberately practicing and applying your craft. Work harder than everyone else around you. Let your skill out by training yourself to trust yourself. Push your limits to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. When you fail, do so honorably and courageously. Pick yourself up off the mat up and continue fighting. When you win, choose to celebrate with your teammates humility and gratitude. Recover hard to grow stronger. When you wake up, tighten your white belt around your waist and simply go back to work.
Remember that the white belt chooses to see life with fresh eyes, an open heart, and willingness to learn. Most importantly, the white belt chooses to teach and serve others. As Jigaro Kano’s lasting legacy, may you always wear your white belt on the path to finding mastery.
Author’s note: Thanks to Dr. Nate Zinsser, Dr. Bernie Holliday, and Dr. Hector Morales for sharing this story with me. More importantly, thanks for living its meaning.
Andy Riise, MS is an active duty Army Officer currently serving as a Deputy Director and Chief of Faculty at the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, GA. As an expert in the evidence based application of Sport and Performance Psychology, he is a coach by passion, and white belt in life.
#whitebelt #mindset #coachingmatters
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