One of the most valuable things I’ve learned from my karate training is that success isn’t just about talent or luck, it’s about mindset and consistent effort. It’s estimated that only one in 100 students ever earns a black belt and this has little to do with innate athletic talent or luck. Achieving a black belt requires passion, dedication, consistent practice, a step-by-step approach, and, most importantly, an unwavering “never give up” attitude.
Now, imagine applying that same mindset to your New Year’s resolutions. Each year, millions of people set ambitious goals, but only a small fraction see them through. Why? The reasons are surprisingly similar to why many students never reach a black belt: they lack clarity, commitment, or the resilience to keep going when things get tough.
In this article, I’ll share with you my thoughts on how the principles of martial arts – focus, discipline, perseverance, and adaptability – can transform the way you approach your resolutions. Whether your goal is to improve your health, learn a new skill, or simply become a better version of yourself, adopting a martial artist’s mindset can help you set realistic objectives, stay consistent, and overcome obstacles.
Why Most People Fail New Years Resolutions
Somehow, New Year always feels like a magical time for many of us. It’s a season of celebration, a fresh start, and a time when hope, renewed energy, and enthusiasm for the future seem to fill the air. It’s also when many of us set New Year’s resolutions, hoping to reset and embark on new beginnings that are brighter and better. “New Year, New You,” as the saying goes.
Some of the most common New Year’s resolutions include exercising more, eating healthier, losing weight, saving money, quitting smoking, spending more time with loved ones, taking up a new hobby, and practicing mindfulness.
However, sadly, most people abandon their resolutions by the end of January. In fact, the second Friday in January is often referred to as “Quitter’s Day,” as it marks the point when many resolutions fizzle out. Sticking to a New Year’s resolution is undeniably much harder than making one.
Just imagine if everyone achieved even half of their resolutions – their lives would be transformed, and the world would be a much better place as a result.
There are many reasons for such a high rate of failure but the main ones are setting unrealistic goals, not having a clear action plan, and lacking the commitment to push through challenges. It’s these barriers that often cause people to give up at the first hurdle. [1, 2]
Drawing Inspiration from Martial Arts
Let me bring this back to the main topic of this post which is how one can apply the mindset of a martial artist to successfully set and nail their New Year’s resolutions.
The other day I was writing a post about why so many students quit karate and how only about one percent of karate students ever make it to black belt. After that I ponder about what makes them different and why they succeed when other students fail. I started thinking about how the approach and mindset of a black belt could be applied to setting and achieving New Year’s resolutions successfully, and that’s how the idea for this article came about. Below are my thoughts on this topic. If you have anything to add, I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.
Don’t Be Discouraged By Past Failures
First of all, if you’ve given up on your New Year’s resolutions in the past, don’t be discouraged. You may have failed, but the fact that you’re reading this means you haven’t given up completely. Failing to achieve your goals is still far better than never having set any. At least you’ve made an effort to take charge of your life and have some idea of where you want to be. Many people drift through life without setting goals, letting the years pass by until it’s too late to make meaningful changes.
Secondly, if you’re a martial artist, you already have a powerful tool in your hands to turn things around and achieve success. The principles that guide you in your training – passion, discipline, resilience, and a systematic approach – are exactly what you need to excel at achieving your goals.
What Sets a Black Belt Apart?
Let’s examine the profile of a typical black belt student and explore what makes them successful. By understanding their mindset and approach, you can apply these lessons to your New Year’s resolutions.
1. A Genuine Passion for Martial Arts
Black belts don’t train out of obligation; they train because they love what they do. This genuine passion fuels their motivation and keeps them coming back, even on tough days.
Therefore, when setting your resolutions, choose goals that truly excite and inspire you, whether it’s improving your health so that you can enjoy better quality time with your children, staying sober, taking up a hobby you’ve always wanted to pursue, or quitting your job and starting a business. True passion and changes deeply meaningful to you will keep your commitment alive when the initial enthusiasm and motivation wane.
As the saying goes, “If something is important enough, you’ll find the time and means to achieve it; if not, you’ll find an excuse.” I strongly believe in the importance of choosing the right goals to start with. Pick something that truly matters to you, and your dedication will follow naturally.
2. A Step-by-Step Approach
In karate and martial arts in general, the journey to black belt is broken down into manageable stages called belt gradings. You progress from white belt to yellow, orange, blue, and so on, eventually reaching black belt over three to five years on average.
This structure makes the journey manageable rather than overwhelming. For example, you don’t start by working through a black belt grading requirement involving fifty basic techniques, thirty combinations, ten kata, twelve sparring rounds, a hundred push-ups, a hundred sit-ups and a hundred squats that last for about two hours in total. Instead, you begin by focusing on achieving your first milestone: white belt to yellow belt. This involves having a good grasp of just ten basic techniques, five stances, one basic kata, and one basic pre-arranged kumite drill. People of any fitness level, gender and age can easily achieve this in three to four months of training. Each subsequent belt introduces slightly more challenging requirements, building skills progressively.
To apply this approach to your resolutions, after you’ve decided on the right goals to pursue, break your goals into smaller, manageable milestones. Start with something simple and achievable (a “yellow belt goal”), then progress to more challenging steps (“orange belt goals”) as you gain confidence and momentum. Steadily but surely is the way to success.
For example, if your goal is to cut down social media usage this year, the simple small goal of delaying your phone use until 9:00AM each day can cut it down a lot already. When you go to bed the night before, place your phone in a drawer or bag to avoid reaching for your phone first thing in the morning when you get up. (By the way, I think reaching for your phone first thing in the morning when you get up is the worst thing you can do – you can easily get suck into whatever your phone is showing you and waste half an hour to an hour for nothing). Instead, get out of bed, get dress, go for a short walk, breathe some fresh air, look at the morning sun, practice mindful walking or practice gratitude then come back and look at the plan for the day in your diary and begin to tackle it.
So the simple act of putting your phone away and delaying access for an hour or two in the morning, if done consistently, can make a big difference to your day, your months, and your year.
Once you’ve mastered this habit, you can add another one. For example, instead of eating lunch at your desk while scrolling through your phone, put it down, eat mindfully, and take a gentle walk after your meal.
Similarly, eating healthier is a great but ambiguous goal. Instead of attempting to overhaul your entire diet at once, start with a small, specific change, such as cutting out all sugary beverages—soft drinks, juice, cordial, flavored milk, and the like—and replacing them with plain water. You’re much more likely to succeed this way. Once this habit becomes second nature, you can build on it by replacing commercial snacks like potato chips, chocolate bars, donuts, muffins, and biscuits with healthier homemade options such as beef jerky, cheese sticks, carrot sticks, roasted nuts, yogurt, or boiled eggs.
Transforming your life doesn’t require dramatic changes overnight. Small changes, stacked over time, create powerful results. Even the simple act of making your bed every morning can change your life and change the world for the better. If you need inspiration, I recommend watching the University of Texas at Austin’s 2014 Commencement Address by Naval Admiral William McRaven: “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”
If you want to change the world start off by making your bed. If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. And by the end of the day that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you’ll never be able to do the big things right. And if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made that you made and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.
Admiral McRaven
3. Consistently Working Towards Your Goals
Earning a black belt is no easy feat, and the key to achieving it lies in consistently working toward your goals. This means, come rain, hail or shine, showing up to train at the dojo at least two to three times a week and setting aside time for home practice, whether it’s 15 minutes or an hour. What matters most is showing up regularly and putting in the work.
Similarly, to achieve your goals in life—no matter how small or big they are—the key is to work toward them daily. Every step you take, no matter how small, brings you closer to reaching your goal. Consistent daily effort is what transforms a goal in your mind, a vision in your dreams, into reality. Without this, nothing will happen, and nothing will change.
Long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity.
Bruce Lee
4. A “Never Give Up” Attitude
Setbacks and failures are inevitable, both in martial arts and in life. What sets black belts apart is their refusal to quit. As the saying goes, “A black belt is a white belt who never quit. A master is a shodan who never gave up.” Injuries, illness, work and family commitments, or financial constraints may disrupt plans, but those who succeed are the ones who make the necessary adjustments, find ways to work through challenges, and never lose sight of where they are going or what they want to achieve.
Similarly, when pursuing your resolutions, adopt this same mindset. Expect mishaps, failures, and changes in circumstances. Learn from mistakes, adjust action plans if necessary, and keep going. Once in a while, things will get out of control, and that’s perfectly fine, you just have to adapt and roll with it. Treat challenges as opportunities to build resilience and grow, never as reasons to give up and you will get there.
“I realized early on that success was tied to not giving up. Most people in this business gave up and went on to other things. If you simply didn’t give up, you would outlast the people who came in on the bus with you.”
Harrison Ford
Conclusion
Achieving your New Year’s resolutions requires more than just good intentions; it demands the same qualities that lead to success in martial arts. By following your passion, committing to consistent effort, approaching your goals step by step, and refusing to give up, you can make meaningful progress and create lasting change in your life.
Also remember, the journey is just as important as the destination. Embrace the process, stay focused, and enjoy the growth that comes with each step forward. Here’s to a year of success, resilience, and transformation – the martial artist’s way.
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