Re: Brown Belt Syndrome
The problem of people dropping out is common to all martial arts, not just Aikido. 18 years ago (!? where does the time go?), a Shotokan karate teacher told me that if you start with 100 beginners, only ten will be there after a year; of those 10, 1 will reach Shodan. And if you have 10 shodans, only 1 goes farther. That's why I always say up to 90% of the people who start MA quit within a year. I don't know if it's that bad in Aikido -- the dojos I go to seem to have a pretty solid following -- but it's there.
And it's not just MA. Someone told me that at the start of the year, gyms will get a rush of new members because they've resolved that this year, they'll get in shape; by June, they're gone. Is it the culture of "instant gratification"? A valid answer but too pat, somehow.
As to ego, it can sneak up on you and work on you when you think it isn't; you can watch for it, but the damn thing is stealthy. Also, personally, I am a senior student in a couple of the arts I do but rankless, so far, in Aikido, so minding my place is tricky. I have to watch for it!
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