In the beginning of our training in martial art, we had clear, specific, attainable goals such as learning the required techniques, forms, etc. The content and methods to be learned and the rewards (such as rank advancement) were concrete and externally motivated.

Take, for example, the process of learning a new piece of form or kata. We first learn to make the large, more dramatic movements. Progress is easily measurable, because you can see yourself being able to remember and perform the movements. The ego is fulfilled through rank and status. But as you work towards the mastery of technique, loss of ego attachment is required.

I remember a couple of students in my tai chi class. They were great students but as soon as they learned the sequence of movements to the form, they looked at each other, and said “we got it,” and never came back to class. They had taken classes in every “new age” fad and had
accumulated a lot of phony credentials. I say “phony” because this couple never stayed with any of the disciplines to the level of mastery or diminishment of ego.

Most martial art students quit training within the first couple of months. Others quit when a goal is attained, or when a plateau is reached. What happens when a dog catches the car he’s chasing? What does he do with it? What happens when one feels that he really does know how to defend himself adequately, or gets really good at performing the full curriculum with a high level of skill?

Once the forms are learned the goals become more subtle and the rewards more intrinsic. The further you advance in the art, the more numerous and trickier the plateaus seem. Subtleties such as timing, blending, sensitivity to others, energy extension, and ultimately wisdom, are more difficult to measure, and their sense of achievement, harder to gauge.

Mastery is maybe the trickiest plateau. Instead of realizing that martial art is a life-long process, a person believes they have reached all of their goals. This is a very dangerous plateau, and one that is very difficult to get off of.

The last plateau you’ll find yourself on is the one that requires you to come down off the mountain of enlightenment you’ve obtained and share what you’ve learned with others. Although it may not seem like it, this mountain-top you’ve worked so hard to obtain is just another plateau. At this stage, in order to progress, the movement is no longer upwards within yourself but horizontal, moving outwards to others, and that may mean taking a few steps down to meet those awaiting your teachings.