Path to Mastery

In a letter to us, I Ho Chuan members, Master Brinker has set in motion the lessons that we will learn this year. I thought that I would post it as a reminder of what we have set out to do. Sometimes when I look at all the expectations and all the requirements, they seem a bit over-whelming, but I know from experience that as long as you are pushing yourself, being mindful of where you are and what you are doing, a lot of the lessons will take care of themselves. A fine example is surrounding yourself with like-minded people that expect more of you than you do; when you are so busy trying to fit all your day to day requirements into your everyday life of work and family, you don't have time to spend time with people who are not on a similar path.
We will learn:

• Your yellow belt, your green belt, your black belt, your kung fu are all about MASTERY.
  
• MASTERY IS A PROCESS concerned with your journey toward your goals. It cannot be about the destination because as you continue to grow and evolve so will your goals and ambitions. The journey never ends.
  
• Many small things can add up to one big thing. Embracing and applying the concept of incremental progression is the CORNERSTONE OF DISCIPLINE.
  
• People you associate with affect your thinking, your values, and your self worth. They influence the value you place on your goals and hold sway over how you choose to live your life. Your commitment and level of engagement are so affected by your social peers that they may be THE MOST IMPORTANT INFLUENCE determining your success or failure.
  
• The success of your journey is measured by the efforts you put into it and the quality of the results. Work ethic and discipline will earn you respect but if you are not closing the distance on your goals, your efforts are without substance. Accordingly, progress without extraordinary effort can be attributed to luck and cannot be regarded as a result of your quest for mastery. MASTERY CAN ONLY BE FOUND IN THE EXTENT OF YOUR EFFORTS AND THE QUALITY OF THE RESULTS.
  
• YOUR LIFE IS YOUR KWOON. Your plan for mastery must hold value for your family and your career if you hope to keep your plan a high priority in your daily life. Recognizing the benefit your practice has on those within your sphere of influence, and maintaining that perspective, will dramatically improve your level of engagement.
  
• Failure is only final if you quit. SUCCESS IS BUILT UPON COUNTLESS FAILURES. Your ability to adapt your attitude and your practice to compensate for unseen challenges and setbacks will be the difference between your success and your failure.
  
• Your journey to mastery is YOUR JOURNEY, no one else's. It cannot be compared to another's journey and the scope of your accomplishments can only be completely realized by you alone. In order for your journey to have heart it must speak to you and be pertinent to your life.
  
• To be RECOGNIZED AS A MASTER, you must define yourself as such in the eyes of your teachers, your peers, and your community. Your personal journey must be transparent and its merit recognized by everyone who follows it.

Jeff Brinker
Master Instructor
Silent River Kung Fu