14 Months

It's weird how things go.

I started out in Karate about a million years ago. Becoming a teacher of any kind was the farthest thing from my mind.

I started in September. A little over a year later, in November, I was asked to take over half of the teaching at the club. Asked is not exactly the right word. When your Sensei asks you to do something, you really can't say no.

But that's all ancient history.

In September of 2011 I started training in Jiu-Jitsu. I had no interest in becoming an instructor. I already teach Karate, and am a high-school teacher. I was enjoying simply being a student.

It is now November, a little over a year later. I've been asked by one of the White Belts to give him some private lessons. As I'm always around, our instructor has suggested to several people that I might help them that way.

I attend all the Blue Belt classes, and none of the others do. As a result, I help them learn the techniques that they've missed.

14 months after starting Shotokan I was teaching it. I find myself teaching Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in a tiny way 14 months after starting.

Maybe I should start another martial art next September, just to see if 14 months later I end up teaching it.

Maybe I should look for other patterns and hope they hold up. It might work if I twist things a bit.

I got my Karate Blue Belt 18 months after starting. 18 months after starting Jiu-Jitsu I'll be wearing a Blue Belt, even though I earned it 9 months in, and will still be wearing it years from now.

I got my Karate Purple Belt 21 months in. If I could get a Jiu-Jitsu Purple after 21 months I would be stunned, as would everybody else.

Got to Brown after about 2.5 years. A Jiu-Jitsu Brown Belt in a similar time would be unbelievable.

Black? That took a hair over 4 years. Surely I can get a Jiu-Jitsu Black on a similar timeline.

Stop laughing.

Maybe I just leave things at the 14 month teaching coincidence.