Ikann — Consistency 一貫 (edition 2025)

Ikann 一貫 [pronounced "eee-khan"] is a core concept in karatedō and one of the most important concepts necessary for success in all endeavors. Ikann 一貫 is consistency: the quality and practice of continuing to work on goals and targets until they are achieved.

Without ikann 一貫, progress grinds to a halt and inevitably stutters and sputters. Realistically, the inevitability of this fact lies in the fundamental nature of the universe: we will face challenges, many of them unforseen, in every endeavor we undertake. We overcome those challenges by continually working, trying to move forward, and navigating around obstacles. We move forward, but many times not quite in a straight line, and sometimes even being pushed back and having to regain lost ground.

Yet, provided we continue to work hard, and endeavor to keep moving forward, accomplishing our goals becomes not only possible, but probable.

The Message is in the Kanji

Examine the kanji for ikann 一貫 carefully and imagine that you see an arrow aimed at a target. Isn't that the nature of consistency? To keep aiming at your target, and continuing to take shots at it until we hit the bullseye?

Consistency doesn't guarantee success, and in fact, it invites you to consider that failure is an important and normal part of striving to move forward. Otherwise, why do we keep aiming at the target? Wouldn't it be enought to just fire once, if success was always assured?

Of course we can't just fire once. We will miss many times, and have to try again. In fact, we likely will miss more than we succeed. And "missing the target" can take on many meanings: not just failing, but actually regressing, or perhaps having to backtrack and then find a different way to move towards our target.

Failure is Part of Consistency

History is replete with examples of consistency winning the day. Thomas Edison is said to have tried countless materials in his quest to invent a practical lightbulb. As he struggled with different variations and different materials, he was asked if he felt dejected at having failed so many times.

His reply? "Certainly not. I have tried nearly a thousand different materials, and I now have eliminated a thousand different materials that will not work. Soon I will find the one material that will work. This time and effort is well-spent."

We can learn from our failures: they are not simply dead-ends, but rather in their own way, signposts on the way to success, pointing us away from the failures and towards the path to success.

Do not fear failing: it is the backbone of ikann 一貫.

Consistency Doesn't Assure Success, But Success Requires It

While ikann 一貫 doesn't guarantee our success, very little success is possible without it. We often set lofty goals (which is good!) but fail to carry through on striving to achieve them.

How many people do you personally know who are "going to write the great novel" someday; or perhaps begin training in karatedo "but not yet"?

Those "somedays" never come, do they?

As a karateka, you know that training is hard. Achieving anything of value is hard. And that the only way to make progress on the dojo floor is to train consistently.

The world outside the dojo floor is no different. Consistency is the key to success in all things.

Editor's Note: This lecture was first delivered by Sensei in San Rafael, California on 19 March 2014, and then again at the Goju Karate NYC Dojo on 1 February 2023. It has been delivered a number of times as part of the Cycle of Four (read more here) during the month of January, most recently at the Goju Karate dojo in New York City on 29 January 2025.