There's a saying that I believe in: "Don't lose the white belt mentality." This, obviously, doesn't allude to a portion of the negative parts of being a white belt  (confusion, uncontrolled aggression etc), yet rather taking into account the “naivety” and the keen attitude  that white belts should ideally have: the eagerness (and capacity) to learn a thing or two from anyone we interact with.

How can we manifest and take advantage of the white belt mentality?

1, I like to investigate a few instances of the "white belt mindset" in real life.

For me, the best way an experienced practitioner can exhibit the “white belt mentality” is by desiring knowledge regardless of its source.

I have seen a lot of instances in which upper belts turn away knowledge and experience simply because it may hurt their ego. For example, I’ve seen brown and black belts avoid rolling with talented and athletic blue and purple belts out of fear of getting tapped out. People who retain that “white belt mentality” don’t care if the person’s a white belt or a black belt — they just want to roll and get better, and if the other person has their number, they want to experience that and use that information to improve.

I always say I don’t judge someone by who they can tap out, I judge them by how they handle getting tapped out. Everyone gets substituted where necessary; people who truly have a healthy attitude toward training use getting substituted as an opportunity to learn, just like white belts.

2, Another way that a person can exhibit a good “white belt mentality” is to have the ability to acknowledge their own shortcomings. Beginners, by their very nature, lack: they lack knowledge, they lack experience, they lack coordination, and they lack technique. But so do even the highest level black belts. We all lack somewhere, somehow.

Being able to acknowledge and admit this is good because it opens the door to development.  They say you can’t teach someone who’s perfect.  Accept your imperfection and spend your time on the mat trying to become better than yesterday.

3, The white belt mentality also means that you try to find new information from every training session and every roll. Often we see higher belts get into a trench and not seem to be interested in training. They’d rather guard their ego and sit on the sidelines than explore the gentle art to improve their experience.

Perhaps the best thing an upper belt can do is adopt the mentality outlined above. It makes one’s experience on the mat far more enjoyable and encourages real growth in your career sport and overall life experience.

The white belt mentality doesn’t mean that you’re weaker than your training partners or that you lack whatever knowledge you have. It means that you are willing and able to absorb new information regardless of its source; it means that you take the steps necessary to enjoy your growth experience daily.

Are you keen to embrace the white belt mentality?

If yes, how? If not, why not? The bottom line is the white belt mentality isn’t about lack of experience. It’s about the lack of pretending you know, seeing things with an open mind, and enjoying them for what they are.

Have a productive week ahead.

Stay safe kind & considerate.