What I learned from ‘Kung Fu Panda’
What I learned
from ‘Kung Fu Panda’
FIND
what motivates you and use it to your advantage! We are motivated by different things. To
get fit, one could be motivated by the love for exercise, another by the desire
to fit into those 24-inch jeans again. To get our own home, one could be
motivated by a garden her kids can run around in, or the freedom from renting
pitfalls.
In “Kung
Fu Panda,” Po the Panda had difficulty learning kung fu. Quite a major setback
when the enemy’s on the way. Eventually Master Shifu figures our how to use
Po’s passion for food as a motivation to learn kung fu. Chopstick skills
improved Po’s dexterity. Steamed buns could only be earned with the proper
strategy. By putting together his hunger for food AND learning kung fu, he was
able to master the art beautifully (and amusingly).
Admit
to not knowing, and then strive to know. Before the foodie-kung fu puzzle was put together, Master
Shifu was at a loss. How do you teach a big eternally-hungry lug to be the
Dragon Warrior? Po challenged Shifu to answer, to which Shifu said, “I don’t
know!”
Humility
is a difficult trait to have. Not knowing may make us feel stupid and lacking.
It is a matter of mindset however. Don’t be afraid to not know it all. It is
better to find out the answers than to assume. Shifu’s humble admission and
dedication to looking for the answer paid off in the end.
While
we may work best alone, it helps to get along with others too. The Furious Five (Tigress, Monkey, Snake,
Crane and Mantis) were already kung fu experts. While each one was strong, they
worked well in fighting Tai Lung with their combined moves. Po, being the
greenhorn, had trouble fitting in. By patiently building a friendship with
them, his stay at the Palace became more comfortable and his training more
focused.
There
are a lot of things we feel we can do better on our own. Nothing wrong with
that. Always remember though that there are people who can help us be more
efficient, effective. And hey, it doesn’t hurt to laugh with someone in the
middle of a busy day!
Take
what is there and make the best out of it. Oogway kept repeating, “There are no
accidents.” I still don’t buy this as much because it’s hard to believe
everything is solely left to fate. But what I like about this thought is the
attitude of being proactive. We could jail ourselves with thoughts of
“should’ve been’s” and “what if’s,” but why waste time on that? Take what is
present and do the best that you can with it.
