Understanding vs. Rank

All to often the goal is the rank. What would happen if a person changed their goal in training and practice, a goal of understanding. Give this some thought and contemplate what this has as to potential meaning.

Making our goal in training and practice a more mental one that pursues the assimilation of knowledge, to grasp the full meaning and the ability to change as one progresses, etc. seems a more open ended goal vs. simply achieving the wearing of a colored belt or hanging a paper certificate on your wall.

One can the acquire the knowledge and the reason out the meaning so sound judgements can be made as to the applicability of that knowledge.

Take out of the effort the "one" simple level of achievement, the black belt, and insert the multilayered levels of learning and understanding that continue once one level is achieved so the person can climb that ladder of many levels of understanding and knowledge. You might find it exciting and a never ending pursuit of something wonderful.

Go even further; when reaching a level go back to those fundamentals and reexamine and reevaluate to find new perspectives to work with and on, it will go on and your knowledge will grow.

Bibliography:
Sutrisno, Tristan, MacYoung, Marc and Gordon, Dianna. "Becoming a Complete Martial Artist: Error Detection in Self Defense and the Martial Arts." Lyons Press. Connecticut. 2005.

p.s. maybe it is really all about what is "easiest?" maybe it is really all about what provides instant "gratification?" maybe it is really all about "ego."