A beginner’s mentality is a mindset that will serve you well throughout your lifetime.
That means having this mindset when you are actually a beginner; and retaining it even more when you achieve mastery.
I might be taking a little poetic license here—excuse me if I do (and feel free to correct me)—but I surveyed quite a few black belts in various martial arts endeavors and found what I am sharing with you today to be true, albeit not conclusive.
And it works beautifully with what I want to share with you today, which makes it good enough (and incredibly convenient) for me. 🙂
Most of the martial arts have belts to mark levels of achievement—usually beginning with white (beginner) to black (expert)—and lots of colors in-between.
I’m a geek about baseball but not the martial arts…obviously.
No “belts” for being an umpire (which is my current connection to baseball)…where your achievement is based on “how much or how little you get yelled at per game.”
But I enter every game with a beginner’s mentality despite my extensive experience.
I have to or otherwise I could be hanged, drawn and quartered…or worse. 🙁
If you are not aware of my real career (I’m a baseball umpire disguised as a direct marketer), read this.
Baseball is my martial art.
In some martial arts circles, after you achieve your black belt (or 10th degree black belt?), you get a white belt again.
I’ll call it a “Double White Belt” after coming up empty on The Google and frankly I didn’t look that hard because I was already convinced that this is worth talking about.
I define the Double White Belt like this:
Now that you can kill someone with the touch of your hand–that is, you’ve achieved mastery as indicated by your black belt(s)–you have a moral responsibility to keep a “beginners’ mentality” and to never forget the basics and where you came from.
And that you understand that you have an additional responsibility that you won’t use lethal techniques until necessary…and never for evil.
Also: Now that you have done it, and mastered it, you have an obligation to teach it (nod to Jay Abraham).
Think of the ace marketer who must always remain a “white hat” no matter what color belt they are wearing. 🙂
To read about 25 Double White Belts delivering wisdom in their genius zone at no charge, check out the P.S.
When I first explored this concept with you, I shared a video with two all-time great baseball players, Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds (in spite of their steroid use which has kept them both out of the Hall-of-Fame).
That doesn’t take away from their (extraordinary) talent…the steroid use only speaks to their (bad) judgment which is irrelevant here.
Whether you are fans of them or not, there is no doubt that they are as qualified as anyone to speak and go deep on what it takes to be a good hitter.
Why is this relevant to you, especially if you don’t relate to the sport of baseball? Or martial arts for that matter?
The video, at its core, is based on principles applicable to any vocation…what makes you a good hitter is what makes someone a good marketer, copywriter, entrepreneur.
Or anything else.
It’s the basics: What you learned a long time ago…and might have forgotten…and need to be reminded of on a regular basis.
What Rodriguez and Bonds are doing in the video is teaching from their Double White Belts.
Feel free to geek out on the 20 minute video here.
Or not.
But geek out on how some of the greatest marketers of our time practice this principle.
Jeff Walker, the inventor of Product Launch Formula (PLF) (which has conservatively accounted for multiple billions of dollars of online sales) posted a video last week talking about how he practices his beginner’s mentality, doing his version of geeking out on his major passion…skiing.
He shared how once a week during ski season, he takes a “lesson” despite being an expert skier.
Back to basics.
This expert goes into student mode on the slopes…just like he does with his marketing chops, always looking for ways to improve there…and everywhere in his life.
I have seen it in action up close and personal, as a member of his exclusive mastermind for a decade, where 50 of his prized students share innovations, including the concepts he invented…adding to the legend of PLF…lifting the room…and Jeff.
It’s inspiring to witness, experience…and act on.
Another inspiring Double White Belt is Richard Viguerie.
Who is Richard Viguerie?
He is a direct marketer who pioneered (and virtually invented) political direct mail fundraising.
And today, at 90 years old (!), he still works every day practicing and improving his craft, sharpening every knife in his drawer…and attacks everything from a student’s mindset.
He teaches his wisdom (which is substantial, accumulated with compound interest, over 6 decades) to anyone who asks…and some who don’t (but should).
You know I don’t like “shoulds” …but I will make an exception here.
This is what you should do:
Step one: Learn from those who “did it.”
Step two: Identify those who did it and who will never rest on their laurels (i.e., never being done with learning). Follow them, as they double down on their Double White Belts. And how they do it with utmost humility.
In Richard’s case, because of his longevity, I will award him a “Triple White Belt” after achieving multiple black belts in many direct response marketing disciplines, always returning to eternal truths as his starting point.
Thank goodness many of us have been along for the ride on his noble obligation.
I had him speak multiple times at my Titans Mastermind (and he eventually became a member).
You can read here what he shared in 2019 about “The Four Horseman of Marketing.”
It’s about something fundamental that has stayed with him throughout his 60+ years in the business.
There are some other Double White Belts who shared at the same event, summarized in that post.
And don’t forget to check out the P.S. for 25 more “DWB’s” who you need to learn from because of their humility and supreme wisdom.
To take it one step further, I’m sure Richard could take many of his secrets and teach them to folks who could use them for evil…but of course he doesn’t.
The perpetual knife sharpening I alluded to earlier will never hurt anyone.
The black belt who becomes a Double (or Triple) White Belt understands the responsibility—and integrity–of owning all those belts.
In short, I encourage you to embrace the Double White Belts…and look to earn your own…whether it is hitting home runs while still hitting for a high batting average…or making your marketing and copy be representative of what came before…and what is coming down the pike…
…while never forgetting where you came from.
Warmly,
Brian
P.S. What if I told you that you could access 25 of the most badass Double White Belts in copywriting for free over four days?
And it’s not just about copywriting because yours truly is one of the 25. 🙂
I’m a badass in something…just not as a copywriter…at least exclusively.
However, I’m a Double White Belt in everything…and it’s safe to say that the Copywriting Summit where these badass Double White Belts are assembling will combine the basics with everything that is state-of-the-art in copywriting and marketing today.
It was created by my buddy Jack Turk, a Titans Xcelerator “original” member (which makes him a “Titan Legend” because that’s what we call our fifth-year renewals), who is the maestro of this unique summit…which will be free to view over a 4-day period, February 8th through the 11th.
25 of the most prolific copywriters (and some other stragglers like me), being grilled by Jack, who is a Double White Belt himself.
And a darn good copywriter, connector…and comrade.
I’ve gotten to know Jack over the past 10 years…well before he joined Titans Xcelerator…as he was an inaugural member of my Titans Master Class.
He defines what it means to be a student and a teacher at the same time.
And the folks who are participating in this Summit know all about Jack’s integrity and smarts which made it easy for them to say yes and enabled him to assemble an all-star cast of characters.
First, some of the most successful copywriters and copywriter coaches in the world:
- David Deutsch
- Kim Krause Schwalm
- Kevin Rogers
- Marcella Allison
- Charlene Burke
- David Garfinkel
- Justin Blackman
- Doberman Dan
- Csaba Borzasi
- Henry Bingaman
- Jon Benson
PLUS…marketing geniuses who play “copywriter” when they need to:
- Robert Skrob
- Darcy Juarez
- Craig Simpson
- Ted Prodromou
- Dave Dee
- Tim Allen (yes, THAT Tim Allen)
- Dean Edelson
- Travis Lee
- George Shepherd
- Mario Castelli (of course there needs to be an AI Expert!)
- Andrew Wood
- Rick Cesari (even an infomercial guy is sharing!)
- Keith Lee
- Chris Mason (my marketing partner who has become extremely dangerous on his own) 🙂
Check out the entire Copywriting Summit here.
I also need to brag…not about myself…but about my Titans…because over half of the speakers are either active members or former members of one my Titan mastermind groups…or they have spoken at one of my masterminds…or both.
I guess that’s why I was “grandfathered” into this Summit. 🙂
Thanks Jack.
And by the way, Jack is no slouch as an expert with a beginner’s mindset…with curiosity to spare. He asks good questions. And adds his own spin to every interview.
It is an honor to be on the same “stage” (and “page”) with these Titans of copywriting and marketing…whether they are my Titans or not.
Like diamonds, Titans are forever.
You MUST click here and register for this one-time Copywriting Summit.
It’s both free…and priceless…and it begins on February 8th with or without you.
I suggest you make it with you.
No downside, all upside.
It doesn’t get any better than that.