A kata is a sequence of movements practiced repeatedly until it becomes second nature. Each repetition refines muscle memory, sharpens focus, and builds discipline. Though rooted in physical training, with practitioners perfecting their techniques through endless repetition, the concept of kata transcends the dojo. Whether you’re perfecting a culinary technique, mastering a business process, or developing a personal habit, the principles of repetition and consistency hold true. For me, kata is just as relevant in a kitchen and an office as it is in karate.
The Power of Repetition
Wax on, wax off. Paint the fence. Sand the floor. Our Vietnamese Gen Z interns at Shutta often look puzzled when I mention waxing cars or painting fences. They didn’t grow up with Mr. Miyagi and the Karate Kid, which is too bad, because wax on, wax off is what they will spend most of their internship doing.
Repetition isn’t about mindless duplication; it’s about intentional practice. In professional kitchens, repetition transforms raw talent into mastery. A commis chef learning to julienne carrots starts with clumsy cuts but, over time, achieves precision through persistence. The first time you fillet a fish, your cuts are hesitant, uneven, and slow. The hundredth time, the knife feels like an extension of your hand. Your movements flow. You stop thinking and start doing. Tasks are repeated not out of monotony but for mastery.
The same principles that guide a chef’s journey to mastery can be applied to shaping young professionals’ careers. In business, like in every other area, repeated practice builds expertise and confidence. Processes like financial forecasting or customer onboarding become smoother and more efficient when practiced and refined. The same goes for presenting to stakeholders, running a team meeting, or refining a pitch, each iteration brings you closer to mastery. Through kata, what once felt awkward becomes effortless.
From Doodling to Design Thinking
For our interns at Shutta, it is about instilling this focus on excellence and performance optimization. They’re fresh out of university, or about to graduate, and so eager to show the world their talents. They want nothing more than to dive in, head first, and get their teeth into a fun, creative project. Instead, they are asked to perform daily checks, keep spreadsheets up to date, conduct research, collect performance metrics. Wax on, wax off. Every day, for three months, a repetition of the day before.
This doesn’t mean that we quash their creative ambitions entirely, their opinions are sought, their input in brainstorming workshops welcomed and acknowledged, but the core of their internship lies in structured, repetitive tasks. At the end of the creative session, the interns are back to documenting. First, the workshop session itself, then the agreed upon way forward, and finally, the outcomes of the chosen strategy.
Unknowingly, they’re honing critical design thinking skills through pattern recognition and continuous improvement. By the time they graduate from the Ajax Academy, our internship program, those fortunate enough to receive an associateship will find that framing creative thinking within a results-driven, performance-focused framework feels like second nature.
Beyond Perfection
The goal of kata isn’t perfection for its own sake—it’s about achieving freedom through discipline and building confidence through routine. The more you practice a set pattern, the less you need to think about each step. This frees up mental bandwidth for creativity and problem-solving. Chefs rely on this muscle memory for foundational tasks, allowing them to focus on plating or improvisation during service. In the workplace, a well-rehearsed presentation or a streamlined workflow offers the same advantage.
In this sense, kata aligns with systems thinking: breaking down complex tasks into manageable steps and perfecting each one. Over time, you’ll develop a scientific approach to thinking critically, solving problems, and making quick decisions about what comes next. Toyota, for instance, incorporates kata into its lean manufacturing processes. By practicing standard routines and continuously improving them, the company maintains efficiency and innovation simultaneously.
In business, kata is about building a strong foundation so you can adapt to challenges without losing momentum.
The Role of Feedback
Repetition alone isn’t enough; feedback is essential. Kitchens are a constant stream of feedback, from all directions. A head chef might bark corrections in the middle of service, teaching you to plate faster or sear more evenly. Peers share quick tips on technique, while the food itself—its smell, sound, and texture—offers its own silent critiques. Each type of feedback serves a purpose, ensuring that every repetition brings improvement.
This concept aligns closely with Hypothesis Driven Design (HDD), the foundation of our methodology at Shutta. In HDD, feedback and critique aren’t just welcomed; they are actively solicited and incorporated continuously. Interns at Shutta learn this early in their training, working with seemingly mundane tasks and detailed quality control checks that are designed to build their capacity for precision and pattern recognition over time. By learning to accept and act on feedback, our interns build a mindset of continuous improvement that becomes invaluable in their future roles.
When, in The Karate Kid, Mr. Miyagi finally explains the purpose of “wax on, wax off.”, Daniel, frustrated by repetitive chores, suddenly realizes these motions have trained him for real defense techniques. Like Daniel’s moment of clarity in the movie, our interns often only realize the value of their repetitive tasks when they’re mentoring the next generation and see how foundational these skills truly are.
Guidance, paired with repetition, turns frustration into triumph. Thoughtful feedback in any environment—whether a dojo, a kitchen, or an office—can transform routine tasks into meaningful progress, making every repetition count.
Bringing Kata to the Workplace
Incorporating kata into your work doesn’t require a martial arts background. It starts with identifying key tasks or processes that could benefit from regular practice and refinement. Here are a few ways to apply kata in your professional life:
- Create Rituals: Establish routines for recurring tasks, like daily stand-ups or weekly planning sessions, to build consistency and clarity.
- Refine Core Skills: Focus on areas where repetition can lead to noticeable improvement, such as public speaking, coding, or decision-making.
- Embrace Feedback: Use repetition not to stagnate but to evolve. Just as a chef tastes and adjusts, professionals should seek feedback to refine their craft.
Embracing the Philosophy
The beauty of kata lies in its simplicity and depth. Kata reminds us that mastery is a journey, not a destination. It’s about finding joy in the process of improvement and recognizing that repetition, paired with intentional feedback, is the path to growth, transforming small, intentional actions into lasting excellence. It is about accepting that excellence isn’t achieved overnight but through consistent, mindful practice.
Whether you’re perfecting a kata in martial arts, a recipe in the kitchen, or a workflow in the office, every small action, repeated with intention, brings you closer to greatness. So, what’s your kata? Think of a task you repeat daily. How could thoughtful feedback or intentional practice transform it into an opportunity for growth? Share your katas in the comments!
P.S.: You can watch some of the key kata scenes from Karate Kid here. It’s amazing what that kid learned from waxing cars, painting fences, and sanding floors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amXyFUrKLuA