No Sir, But I am working on it.

Elder Master Bill will often ask "do you have that kata?" and those of us who have been around a while know that the only answer to this question is "No Sir, but I'm working on it"


When we come to personal challenge in life there are only two potential responses.
A. We can take the challenge and change some part of our selves to reach the goal
B. Accept the current status Quo and incorporate the limitation into our persona

From day one in Shaolin-Do we start to work on developing the first response (A) to challenge. That response is to change something to get the result we want. It requires three steps to make those changes
1. Accept that we can't do something
2. Create a strategy to learn or change something
3. Execute that strategy

STEP ONE - ACCEPT
Many of the people I have known in my life get stuck right at #1, accept that you CAN'T do something. They feel this is an admission of inferiority and a threat to their ego and feelings of self-worth. I have seen this over and over again in some people's inability to call their teacher by a title of respect. If you can't acknowledge that there is something you CAN'T do then how can you learn something new?

STEP TWO - THE PLAN
Next you need to formulate a plan of how improve that kick, make your crane roll smoother, face the fear of performing in front of others, ....whatever your challenge is. The plan needs to be progressive and smart. It needs to start with what you can do and lead you toward the land of "that scares the crap out of me".

STEP THREE - EXECUTE
This step is made much easier by creating a smart plan, with a realistic first couple steps.


After 10-20 years of pushing through barriers in this way, the Shaolin-Do student starts to apply these principles across the board in their life. They acknowledge deficiency, create the plan and take action. Year after year, hunting their weaknesses mercilessly.

HOW MANY times have you heard people explain away some uncomfortable personal trait by saying "that's just the way I am". Instead we say, "I'm working on it".

THE FORK IN THE ROAD
This is the reason I say that as you grow older you either get wiser or crazier. There is no inbetween. You either work to fix your problems or you bury them deeper under the BS and live in fear of exposure. So Shaolin-Do becomes your ticket to a better life by teaching the principle of progressive change through hard work. You learn the humility to acknowledge your deficiencies and develop the personal courage to face the work and changes needed to fix them.


I will be sharing a tool taken from Shaolin training for your personal transformation in my Kick seminar this month. I have never shared this with another single person before now. Hope to see you there.
October 28th 3-5:30 at North Austin School
Kung Fu Seminar