Many people like the idea of getting something for nothing. It appeals to the consumer mentality of Western society and consumers in the martial arts are no different. Free uniform when you sign up. Free month when you pay for six. Give people a coupon with a discount or something free and they are then motivated to buy the product or service, regardless of the inherent value of the product or service. The reason some martial arts schools have to resort to this kind of marketing is because most people do not understand the intrinsic value of a traditional martial arts education. This is also the reason many students find it difficult to commit to training despite the difficulties. Most people do not understand the intrinsic value of a traditional martial arts education.

     It has been said that anything worth doing is worth doing right. The effort with which one commits to something is proportional to the benefit received. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Despite their awareness of the preceding cliches, most people are not willing to fully commit themselves to achieve their goals. They want things fast, easy and cheap. This is not the way things work in the traditional martial arts. Students in the arts develop and evolve slowly over time. Students who follow a traditional path will develop and evolve despite themselves. This development will take time, much more time than most people realize. Progress in the traditional arts is measured in decades.

     It is unfortunate that most students do not commit themselves to their training long enough to fully understand the intrinsic value of a traditional martial arts education. Many will quit when the training becomes difficult. What do they think will happen in a fight? Will they quit because they get hit or stabbed? The commitment to understanding and perfecting every aspect of their style is what separates senior martial artists from everyone else. It is the hardships they overcame on the journey along the path that forged them into warriors. They did not look for the fast, easy, cheap approach because they understood the intrinsic value of a traditional martial arts education.

     If someone were holding your head underwater, how badly would you want to get a breadth of air? What would you do to get that breadth? What wouldn't you do? How committed would you be to getting that breadth of air? This is the level of commitment necessary to master your chosen martial art. Do not sell yourself short. Do not sell your art short. In order to build something positive, a commitment to succeed is necessary. Take a hard look at your approach to martial arts training. And then ask yourself, "What is your level of commitment?"