motivation problem; lost of interest

[italian_guy]

I have to make a question about something I really do not understand completely in your story... You said that you have a "second" MA which is Ju-Jitsu do you feel the same lack of motivation for it or not?

If not I have a suspicion... I suspect that this story of the Black Belt test has a big impact on your loss of motivation... maybe inside of you you gave an importance to this test which is overestimated, and this exam, instead of acting like a stimulus, is somehow freezing you. The fact that you keep delaying it tell me this... you give too much importance to it.

So my advice is: don't delay it any more, face it! Consider it like an ordinary test and, after you passed it, reconsider the whole issue. If you feel that your motivation has still dropped, you may take in consideration to leave TKD for any other MA or any other interest.

That's my 2 eurocents

Edited October 13, 2005 by italian_guy

[shogeri]

Great opinions, advice, and input!

[karatekid1975]

italian_guy, No, I don't feel a lack of motivation in JJ (well I don't train in it as often either, because my instructor lives an hour away).

But you're right. I may be putting TOO much importance on my test. I have seen people get really nervous and fail. But I also seen people just go in there and have fun, and they passed. So, yea. That is definitely something to think about.

[elbows_and_knees]

This happens to people all the time. 5 years really isn't that long, IMO, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't long enough for you to get burned out. The best way to deal with this is to go with it - take a break. This is your own subconscious way of telling yourself that you need it.

Take a break from training - do some other physical activity... go to the gym, rollerskate, play basketball, etc. After a month or two, go back to TKD with a renewed vigor. The school isn't going anywhere, and black belt really isn't that important if you are only giving half attempts to become one. I'd rather take the break and come back hard than to fall into the hole of mediocrity that so many other MA fall into on a regular basis...

[elbows_and_knees]

italian_guy, No, I don't feel a lack of motivation in JJ (well I don't train in it as often either, because my instructor lives an hour away).

because it is new to you. I stated above that you should engage in another physical activity. this could be your activity.

[White Warlock]

Well, that or plucking the feathers off of chickens.

[karatekid1975]

LOL. Thanks for the laugh, White Warlock hehehehehe

[Anbu Alex]

im not trying to put you down but maybe its that you need to remeber the reason why you first got into martial arts and think about it. I agree with everyone here who says you may just be burned out take a break and think things out, me personally i keep at it cause the futher i get to the goal the more i realize that im really even further away i came to this cause i got promoted yesterday

Please dont stop i feel bad when a Martial Artist stops training

[karatekid1975]

Anbu Alex, good advice I got into MA for self defense, but it's the character building that kept me in it. And no, I'm not going to stop.

Here's a cool story ... I went to class tonight after taking a 3 week long break. I helped with the color belt graduation (red belts and above are encouraged to help, so I showed up after three weeks off), and then I did class. But the thing was, the "line" I had to lead out to do their thing was Taichi (we also have Taichi in our schools, but they test here at the main school). My really good friend was testing for orange belt in Taichi (congrads to her again for a job well done ). But she is also a 3rd dan in TKD. She was lined up behind me, which I felt akward about knowing she out ranks me in TKD (and I don't do Taichi). But she didn't have a problem with it. But when she changed her belt at the end, I saw the black belt in her. She was the only one on one knee (like they do at BB grads) ... it's hard to explain, but it blew me away. The humble attitude she as and all .... WOW!

Then I saw my Master instructor. I thought he would flip out on me for not going for such a long time. But I bowed to him and said, "how are you, sir?" He Bows back and smiles, "Good. Thanks. You?" He didn't even look mad. He was in a good mood. SWEET! LOL.

[karatekid1975]

Oh wait, I forgot to tell you all about the class ....

My first night back was sparring ... Ugh. BUT before the class started, I was doing my forms, and I haven't missed a beat with those, thank goodness. One of the BB's looked at me and it looked like he said "Dang! Three weeks off, and she still kicks butt?!?!?!?!?" Well not really, but my technique was on tonight (I was LUCKY!!! LOL).

But with sparring, I was so out of shape. Three weeks off does a lot (or doesn't do) for sparring. Wow! I was tired! I still clocked someone in the head with a hook kick and rocked his clock (a dude with no control), but I also dropped when he hit me during an athsma attack (he should have known I was going down on my own .... ).

I haven't had an athsma attack in a year. So that tells me to NEVER stop training no matter what. I was on my game till I decided to take a break. I regret it now .....