Here’s how to become an expert in martial arts:

1. Read an article in a magazine and believe it is 100% the fact without further exploration.
2. Watch a video on youtube and try a move out on your buddy and it works.
3. Take an one hour seminar and only practice the techniques once.
4. Jump from one school to another barely learning a basic technique so you can say you learned a lot from different schools and styles.
5. Skipped the basics and went to the advance stuff because it’s more fun for you.

Oops, that’s not how you become an expert in martial arts or anything else for that matter. Here’s a real list of how to be an expert in anything you do.

1. You study for many years.
2. You never stop learning.
3. You read countless books, magazines, websites, articles, and etc,.
4. You learn from many different people.
5. learn from many different medias such as the internet, books, magazines, articles, videos, seminars, and etc,.
6. You look at all points of view without judgment or opinions.
7. You dedicate yourself to what you are doing.
8. Master the basics. Then re Master the basics.
9. Learn and re-learn everything you know from time to time.
10. Be positive about what you are doing.
11. Realize there is no best or ultimate.
12. Do it for yourself and no one else.
13. You may have to make sacrifices sometimes.
14. Be willing to get your feelings hurt sometimes if and when you are told you need to improve.
15. Face all challenges with a positive and open mind.

And there is probably a lot more I can add to this list. But did you notice that there is a larger list for the things you must do versus the list of the the things you shouldn’t do? To become an expert in martial arts or in anything you pursue to be an expert in, it takes a lot of hard work. A lot of dedication. It takes a lot of character.

Master Jonathan Field

Cobourg Tae Kwon Do