Black belts: what would you tell your blue belt self?

Drill less garbage. Pick three positions and own them. The blue belt mistake is collecting techniques like Pokémon.

Tap earlier. The shoulder you save in your 20s is the shoulder that lets you train at 40.

Compete. Even if you lose. Especially if you lose. Tournaments are where you find the holes nobody at your gym shows you.

Your coach is not your dad. Listen, but verify. Cross-train. The best blues I know rolled at 3 different gyms before purple.

Your ego is the slowest learner in the room. Mine cost me 3 years of progress at blue.