Every Mile High Karate Black Belt is built on nine qualities of character, drawn from Denis Waitley’s The Psychology of Winning. Personal development is built into the belt system itself, and every class includes a character lesson alongside kicks, strikes, forms and self-defense.
The nine qualities of a Black Belt
- Positive Self-Awareness — knowing your own strengths, weaknesses and where you stand.
- Positive Self-Esteem — a steady sense of your own worth that does not depend on comparison.
- Positive Self-Control — taking responsibility for your choices and reactions.
- Positive Self-Motivation — working toward goals because you want them, not because you are pushed.
- Positive Self-Expectancy — expecting that effort will lead to success.
- Positive Self-Image — seeing yourself as the person you are working to become.
- Positive Self-Direction — setting clear goals and a plan to reach them.
- Positive Self-Discipline — practicing the habits that goals require, especially when it is hard.
- Positive Self-Projection — carrying yourself, speaking and acting with confidence and courtesy.
Waitley’s tenth quality, Positive Self-Dimension, is not one of Mile High Karate’s nine.
How character is taught
The curriculum reinforces “the traditional philosophies of honesty, courtesy, integrity, perseverance and self-control,” in the words of Mile High Karate’s 2007 welcome booklet. Character lessons run through every class, and the Black Belt is each child’s long-term goal: about 48 months of consistent training, ending in informal, formal and written tests and a three-day Black Belt testing retreat. At Mile High Karate Thornton, well over 30 percent of active students are Black Belts.
Where it comes from
Mile High Karate teaches American Freestyle, which developed from Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do. Its curriculum has three foundations inherited from Grand Master Jhoon Rhee: practical self-defense, personal development through self-esteem, goal setting and discipline, and artistic content through forms. See the Jhoon Rhee lineage and the history of Mile High Karate.
Questions
What are the nine qualities of a Black Belt at Mile High Karate?
Positive Self-Awareness, Positive Self-Esteem, Positive Self-Control, Positive Self-Motivation, Positive Self-Expectancy, Positive Self-Image, Positive Self-Direction, Positive Self-Discipline and Positive Self-Projection, drawn from Denis Waitley’s The Psychology of Winning.
How long does it take to earn a Black Belt at Mile High Karate?
About 48 months of consistent training. Candidates complete informal, formal and written tests and finish at a three-day testing retreat.
Where can my child start?
At Mile High Karate Thornton, 3979 E 120th Ave, Thornton, CO 80233. Call (303) 280-1839.