You are going to hear this from me over and over, this concept, this truth that has become one of the foundations of my thinking. Little Things Add Up To Be Big Things. Tom Callos said it. Tom Callos pushes that concept on us constantly through his work with the Ultimate Black Belt Test.
We’ve seen how it works with our Acts of Discipline program. Simple math, really. Set a big goal. Divide it up into manageable pieces and then get to work. 50,000 pushups in 13 months can be accomplished by performing 125 a day. If you miss a day, simply increase your reps and catch up.
Cleaning the house? One room at a time.
Reaching black belt? One class at a time, one belt test at a time.
College Degree?
OK. You’ve got the picture.
Little Things Add Up To Be Big Things. (LT=BT)
Can that simple truth save our planet?
Confession time.
I detest scary movies. The last horror film I went to was The Exorcist in 1973. Yes, I’m old enough to have gone to the movie theater when The Exorcist first came out. The month before my friends and I saw a zombie movie. I don’t remember which one, but I know that was the last of that genre I ever watched.
Of course many movies incorporate suspense into the plot. Just because I don’t go to horror movies doesn’t mean I don’t get startled or frightened while watching a movie.
Sometimes the scary moment seems to come out of nowhere. I’m sitting there, engrossed in the action, and all of a sudden a bad guy jumps out from behind a door. Usually I jump in my seat, and then feel really stupid for getting caught off guard.
Then, there is the other scenario. The music starts building… I know something is going to happen… and I close my eyes so I won’t see it, won’t experience it.
If I know something scary is going to happen I close my eyes.
What does this have to do with LT=BT?
The music has been building for a long time about our planet and our environment.
I’ve had my eyes tightly closed. Have you?
Tom Callos made learning about the environment a part of the curriculum for UBBT. He’s forcing me to open my eyes. And if I truly believe in the concept of LT=BT I’d better get busy.
Being “green” has become very popular. Cosmetics are marketed as being “green”. There are “green” building products, “green” clothing.
We are being told to recycle, compost, use different light bulbs.
Every day I make choices. Do I go with the easy familiar choice or do I make a choice that is better for the environment?
LT=BT.
No more plastic water bottles.
I’ve purchased several water bottles, and of course we have a bunch for sale at the school. I bought a water filter system to attach to my sink. I reuse left over large plastic bottles and store the water in the fridge. When I leave in the morning, I fill my water bottles with cool purified water, squeeze some fresh lemon juice in it, and I am good to go.
Easy, it tastes great and it is good for me and the environment.
Here is where I am going with this.
Green Belt = Green Conscious
It is a six month process to go from Green Belt to Blue Belt. Let’s use that time as an opportunity to open our eyes about our environment and make some changes. I’m asking my students to first, do some research, find an environmental subject that interests you. Water, soil, air, plastic bottles, trees, compost, recycle, electricity use….whatever resonates with you. Do a short report. Write down what you have learned and put it on the Digital Dojo so others can learn from you.
Then, create an action plan. Knowledge is one thing, action is another. Decide what YOU can do to make a difference. Write it down and tell us about it on the Digital Dojo. Be prepared to tell us about it at Graduation, because this is part of your curriculum.
If you have already advanced through Green Belt, guess what? You get to do this project too!
If This is what a martial artist does. We don’t close our eyes, sit back and let others face the reality. We should be at the front, learning and taking action. And we should demonstrate leadership by educating and enlisting others in doing what is right.
If you have questions, if you need some ideas or guidance, contact me and we will talk.
Michelle Rae 