Quitting at Black Belt

[sensei8]

I just can’t reiterate it enough that we owe our students our complete respect, whatever their decision is, no matter how much we might be disappointed.

You know, this might seem an unfavorable thing to say but you know what?? MA is just a thing…a want…not a need, like shelter or food. Our MA journey can’t be our students journey or even similar.

Does a CI want what’s best for their students or what’s best for the CI?? 

[bushido_man96]

12 hours ago, sensei8 said:

I just can’t reiterate it enough that we owe our students our complete respect, whatever their decision is, no matter how much we might be disappointed.

You know, this might seem an unfavorable thing to say but you know what?? MA is just a thing…a want…not a need, like shelter or food. Our MA journey can’t be our students journey or even similar.

Does a CI want what’s best for their students or what’s best for the CI?? 

I'm not trying to force students to change their minds.  But I think we do ourselves and our school a disservice by not prepping students early on for the idea of being a post-1st dan student.  If a student tells me they want to quit, I'm not going to beg them not to.  But I am willing to ask "why?" and have a discussion to figure out what I could have done differently to perhaps retain the student longer.

[Spartacus Maximus]

It is natural to feel great disappointment when one has spent the time, energy and dedication teaching someone a skill; seeing potential in them only for them to quit at the very time when their efforts begin to show results. 

[sensei8]

22 minutes ago, Spartacus Maximus said:

It is natural to feel great disappointment when one has spent the time, energy and dedication teaching someone a skill; seeing potential in them only for them to quit at the very time when their efforts begin to show results. 

That’s what’s great about a door. It opens to let people in and let people out. Meaning?? When one student exits out the door, a prospective student comes in the door.

Please don’t misunderstand my coldness, but I can’t be affected either war because if I’m affected by whether a student stays or quits, then I’m not giving my all to the students who’ve chosen to remain on the floor.

[Spartacus Maximus]

Perhaps the disappointment might be less important when there are less students. The matter of fact is that it is a normal thing to occur, even just for a fleeting moment.

It does no good  to dwell on it, especially when students and prospective students are abundant. That could hardly be considered coldness.

It’s just how teaching works and, a wise instructor knows from the beginning that most students will probably quit well before the 4-5 years(average) required to even get to shodan(or equivalent). Never mind beyond that.

[KarateKen]

When it's time to go it is time to go.