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Just Keep Going and Your Skill Will Keep Growing

In the world of Tai Chi and Kung Fu the only absolute sure fire way to fail is to quit. If you stop coming to class and you stop practicing on your own, you guarantee your failure. Other than putting in no effort in class and completely stopping you can learn Tai Chi or Kung Fu. This whole endeavor, like much or all of life, is 99% more about grit, determination, and sticking with it than anything else. A dash of passion does go a long way, like a good spice to flavor a fine meal. If you are willing to show up and do your best, you can be certain of success. You may not have a fast success, or an easy success, or a fancy and famous, movie success, but you can cross the finish line and become an expert in Tai Chi or any of the awesome classical combat martial arts like Northern Shaolin, Lan Shou Quan, Xing Yi Quan or many others. I have seen all types of people start and finish, and I have learned never to prejudge people’s chances of success and completing training.  

So, the good news based on my experience of teaching literally thousands of students over 40 years is:  

I think you can succeed.  

That is my professional opinion.  

If show up and do your best you will succeed.  

You do not need to wonder, to worry, to deliberate and question, to be filled with self-doubt. You can set aside your fear of failure. Certainly, you may be humbled by your trainings partners skills, but you will not fail to achieve your goal if you can swallow a little bitter flavor. 

To achieve success in your martial arts training, you simply need to show up and do your best, no matter how pathetic and lame you perceive it to be. If you show up and do your pathetic best your teacher will love you for doing your best. It is when students are lazy and do not try or do not show up that teachers become irritated and disappointed.  

A hard working student with or without talent is always welcome and in my experience anyone who does not quit and just sticks around continuously making their best effort never fails. Some people are faster, and others are slower but since this is not a race it really does not matter who is first or last. 

 What really matters is whether you are enjoying the journey and the journey is benefitting you and transforming you. Keep your feet on the path and do not let trivial things like pandemics and politics distract you from what is more important, more essential, and more fun: practicing and learning more about yourself and your art. If you keep your feet on this path the path will take care of your skill and your being. 

 

 

10,000 Victories School 

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