Take Ownership

Have you seen the flowers on the altar this past summer? The false sunflowers were from Toudai Ferris, the hydrangeas were from Sihing Bauer. Did you notice the freshly cut grass? That was Sihing Bjorkquist. Have you ever noticed the washrooms were clean? That was Toudai Vogt.

I know that all of these students have struggles, but I also can see their tenacity, which serves them well in their training.

I also see these people continually taking ownership of the kwoon and the grounds around it. I see them mopping after class, picking up the odd bit of garbage in the parking lot, offering their knowledge to new students. These are the things that will help carry them through to a master level.

The only way to excel in Kung Fu is to take ownership of your own training. No one can instil skill or understanding- that feat is set wholly on each individual’s shoulders. To practice or not practice, to listen with an open heart or with ego. These are decisions each of us make everyday, whether or not we do it consciously. As an instructor with over 30 years training and over 20 years teaching, I can tell you with absolute certainty that these decisions determine what kind of martial artist a student will be, and how far they are willing to go in the martial arts.

Mopping the floors is not a responsibility, and not a requirement. It is an opportunity to take ownership. If you do not want to utilize it, then do not mop. I would prefer that the opportunity go to someone who would benefit from it.

When you do take on the task, then pay attention to how you complete it. Are you swiping away mindlessly, not really doing a good job, or are you taking care and making sure the floors are truly clean for it? Do you take pride in the job you are doing? Or are you just getting it done?

These are the factors that will, again, determine what kind of martial artist you will be. Ask any of the accomplished black belts in the school- there is so much more to learn. It takes an eye for detail to discover, and perseverance to apply. You need to take ownership of where you are and what you are doing.

Be mindful of the tasks you choose to take on, and keep your perspective as to why these things are in place. There is nothing we do or ask of you mindlessly. We do not ask anything of a student that will not be a benefit to that student in some way, but only IF they can keep the right perspective will it help them grow.