A Reflection from the 10th World Kung Fu Championships: Breaking Free from My Own Mindset

Last week, I participated in the 10th World Kung Fu Championship at Mount Emei. It was an experience that left me with deep emotions and valuable insights, compelling me to share this heartfelt reflection.

Having been away from the international competition scene for many years, I was immediately struck by the scale of the event-over 5,000 athletes gathered to showcase their skills. What first earned my respect was the remarkable organization. The transitions between performances were incredibly smooth, a logistical feat in itself. I also noticed various issues on the first day but was truly impressed by how efficiently the organizers addressed and corrected them by the second day. This adaptability demonstrated a profound commitment to the participants.

What brought me the greatest joy, however, was witnessing the flourishing state of traditional Wushu/Kung Fu across the globe. The technical level from athletes of various nations has visibly and significantly improved. But what truly astonished me were two things: the sight of young children performing highly complex competition routines that I had previously thought were beyond their capability, and the elderly moving with the vigor and precision of middle-aged practitioners.

This experience becomes a mirror, forcing me to look inward. I returned home and began to reflect deeply on my own teaching. An unsettling realization dawned on me: I have been overly protective of my students. The analogy that comes to mind is that of an overprotective parent. Unconsciously, I have been shielding them from attempting new, challenging techniques and setbacks I faced during my training. I wanted to spare them the same struggle.

In doing so, however, I have likely been holding them back. My desire to let them grow “steadily and slowly” might have inadvertently limited their potential. On the international stage, this “slow” growth could make it harder for them to unleash the full extent of their abilities and shine as brightly as they are meant to.

I now see that the first and most crucial change must begin with me. I need to reshape my own mindset and transform my approach to training. It is time to create an environment where my students are encouraged to explore their limits, to try, to stumble, and to rise again. They deserve the space to discover and harness their unique strengths and talents more fully.

A saying I recently encountered resonates powerfully with my current state of mind: “If you cannot escape your own mindset, you will remain a prisoner everywhere.” For some time, I have been a prisoner of my own past experiences and cautious philosophy. Witnessing the fearless spirit of those young children and the enduring strength of the elderly at the championship has shown me the way out.

This is not meant as a lecture to anyone, but simply an honest sharing of my journey – a journey of realizing that sometimes, the greatest obstacle to our student’s growth is our own fear. It is time to replace that fear with trust and to guide them, not with excessive caution, but with the courage to let them truly fly.