I Did Kung Fu for 13 Years and Here’s What Happened

Yes, I am mocking women’s fitness magazines again (this seems like a recurring theme for me). I can’t tell you how many articles I have seen lately entitled something like “I did/ate such-and-thus for one/two/or more weeks and here’s what happened.” What a shitty mind-set. Let me tell you what happens after a few weeks of anything: nothing significant. If you want real change, real growth, it just takes a hell of a lot longer and anything which suggests otherwise is just a lie. That is not to say that sometimes there are not modest short-term gains, but those are nothing compared to the rich and life-altering effects of doing something long-term.

For me it has been Kung Fu (which has led to my other pursuits), but in some ways it could be anything, e.g. ballroom dance, stamp-collecting, or embroidery. Seriously. In my view, it is just about becoming passionate and committed to something, anything, perhaps obsessively so. When you do that, you gain deep knowledge and skill (even if you never execute at the highest levels). Often, you also connect with a group of like-minded individuals who are passionate about whatever it is that y’all are into. That’s fun.

So what have I learned after 13 years of Kung Fu? Way more that can ever fit into some kind of 500-word article. I’ve learned, and am still learning, my strengths, my limits, how my body works, how my spirit functions, and most of all who I am and who I want to be. None of that happened in weeks or months. It takes years and years and years.