The White Belt Advantage

Today’s Theme

There’s a big difference between being a know-it-all and a learn-it-all. Know-it-alls crave validation. Learn-it-alls chase growth. The best performers don’t act like they have it all figured out. They act like there’s always something more to discover.

This week’s story is about a master who chose to be buried with the symbol of a beginner. From Kano Jigoro to Kobe Bryant, we’ll explore how curiosity can be a performance amplifier and end with a set of questions athletes and coaches can use to spark more growth in their craft.

The White-Belt Mindset

Kano Jigoro, the father of judo, left an unusual request before he died in 1938: He wanted to be buried wearing a white belt. The belt of a beginner.

The belt symbolized the attitude that made his growth possible: Approach every day with the curiosity of a beginner.

His final lesson was a simple reminder: Stay a beginner. Even at the top of your craft.

That same spirit shows up in elite performers across every domain. One of my favorite reminders comes from Pittsburgh Pirates’ Director of Learning, Dr. Bernie Holliday, who describes it this way:

“Mastery is about developing a black-belt skillset and embracing a white-belt mindset.”

A black-belt mindset assumes they’ve arrived. A white-belt mindset assumes there’s still room to grow.

Curiosity is Fuel for High Performance

Curiosity isn’t just a character trait. It’s a competitive separator. When athletes stay curious, they stay open. Openness enables them to create new possibilities and reduce limiting beliefs that we often set for ourselves.

Here’s a few additional reasons why curiosity is so valuable for performers according to neuroscience:

• Curiosity triggers dopamine release, lighting up the brain’s reward centers and making learning more engaging.

• Curiosity enhances memory consolidation, especially around the topics we’re intrinsically motivated to explore.

But one of the most impactful connections comes from Carol Dweck’s research on growth mindset. Her work shows that athletes who believe abilities can be developed (rather than being fixed traits) are more adaptive and more likely to embrace challenges. rather than avoid them.

And curiosity is what activates that mindset.

Nobody modeled this better than Kobe Bryant.

When Kobe sat down with writer Cal Fussman, he lit up when asked about his favorite children’s book: “Curious George.”

That mindset is what led him to seek out mentors from all walks of life including Olympic sprinters, film composers, and even great white sharks to create a new edge.

Curiosity expands our potential. And the best way to train it? Ask better questions.

Train Curiosity with Quality Questions

Our brains rush to answer whatever questions we pose. Ask shallow questions, get shallow growth. Ask quality questions, create new possibilities and insights.

Here’s a short list you can draw from or personalize with your athletes:

• What do my body and mind usually try to tell me before I lose focus?

• What part of my game do I avoid working on because it makes me feel uncomfortable or exposed?

• What specific skill or detail do I want to understand better this week?

• What’s one area I’ve been avoiding because it makes me feel behind?

• How do I know when I’m being too hard on myself?

• How would my teammates or coaches describe me when I’m at my best? What would they say when I’m at my worst?

• Who’s doing it better than me and what can I learn from them?

• What worked for me today and why did it work?

• How can I stretch myself by 1% tomorrow?

• What question would my future self want me to ask right now?

Questions are the tools of the curious. Equip your players with sharper questions and watch their potential and performance expand.

Final Thoughts:

Kano wore a white belt to remind us that the best never graduate from learning. Equip your athletes with quality questions and you hand them the keys to constant improvement.

Inspiration for This Piece:

• Levenson, B. (2020). Shift your mind: 9 mental shifts to thrive in preparation and performance. Disruption Books.