Traction vs distraction

There are a few key differences between victim belts and black belts.

The first difference relates to mindset.

What does the wearer of a victim belt focus on compared to a black belt? A black belt wearer has their mind set on a goal and makes what life puts in their way, go their way. They don’t look at what’s happening and wish it were different. They stay on track; they maintain traction.

The wearer of a victim belt is often distracted, wishing things were different. They focus on an imagined future where everything will be better or try to solve their problems through tricks and short-cuts, such as ‘get rich quick’ schemes. They often follow the latest trend, whether in clothes, diets or sports, and when things don’t work out, or don’t change as quickly as they’d hoped, they are disappointed. They persuade themselves that they are a loser, that they are ‘not meant for this’, and avoid trying similar things in the future. This keeps them safe – in a position they often don’t like but that is, at least, familiar. This prevents them from gaining traction on the way to achieving their goals.

The victim belt wearer seldom realises that the black belt was often dealt a similar hand in life, but instead of focusing on external quick fixes, they focused on the steps they needed to take in that moment, how-ever hard or uncomfortable it might be. The path to worthwhile achievements is never easy.