SHOSHIN – 初心 – BEGINNER’S MIND

In Japanese, Shoshin means “Beginner’s Mind.” It describes an attitude of openness, curiosity, and eagerness to learn—free from preconceived ideas, existing knowledge, or ego. This mindset is fundamental to judo practice.

Think of your mind as a parachute: it only functions when open. One of the greatest challenges is maintaining Shoshin as you advance through different belt levels. Some practitioners mistakenly believe they’ve mastered everything once they earn their black belt. However, many don’t realize that the first black belt rank in Japanese, Shodan, translates as “first level.”

The black belt isn’t the end of your judo journey—it’s truly the beginning.

Embracing Shoshin ensures continuous growth, preventing complacency, and fostering humility. Only with an open, beginner’s mind can you discover infinite possibilities and endless opportunities to improve.

As Shunryu Suzuki famously stated:

“In the beginner’s mind, the possibilities are endless. In the expert’s mind, they are few.”
– Shunryu Suzuki

Thijs Holtermann