Frustration

I’ve been told that if I attend classes and put in 10 min at home every day that will be enough to achieve my black belt. After two months of Kung Fu, I can honestly say that there is no way that 10 min is enough. I’ve been putting in about 30 min every day on average (except on days with class), somedays over an hour, and I still don’t think it’s enough. I practice kicks, forms, stances, and centering, as well as general fitness like pushups, sit-ups, and stretching. My body tires out before my mind does and I wish I could do more. I do feel like I’m making progress, which is good, but I still feel like I’m not progressing enough. The problem I have is that we’re not compared or graded against anyone so it is really all about you. On one hand this is a good thing because everyone is different and everyone learns at a different pace. On the other hand I would love to know where I’m at compared to the average student.

I’ve been told to focus on the journey and enjoy it but I have a hard time with it because, as a beginner, I’m pretty terrible, and I don’t like being terrible. I’m practicing as much as I can so that I can build a solid foundation and improve quickly. I can’t wait to achieve at least a basic level of skill so that I’m not embarrassing myself every day in class.