𝐊𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐟𝐟: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬⁣⁣

𝐊𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐟𝐟: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬⁣⁣

By Restita R. DeJesus⁣⁣

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Martial arts isn’t just about punches and kicks—it’s also about growing stronger on the inside. But sometimes, that inner strength gets tested when students feel impatient with themselves… or embarrassed when something doesn’t go perfectly in class.⁣⁣

And guess what? That’s totally okay.⁣⁣

Whether you're a kid in Mighty Mites class or an Adult in the Adults classes, wearing a brown belt or tying your white one for the first time, here’s some ways I've learned through the years, how to deal with those “uh-oh” feelings and keep moving forward like a champ.⁣

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Fable: The Caterpillar and the Sparrow

The Tale of the Caterpillar and the Sparrow 

Once, in the heart of an old forest, lived a caterpillar named Marrow. He was not the prettiest of caterpillars—his stripes were uneven, and he had once nibbled the wrong leaves, causing a few plants to wither. The other creatures whispered about him often:

 “That’s the one who ruined the elder thistle.” “He’s nothing but a crawling mistake.”

Marrow heard them. Every day. And even if he could not hear them, the others would tell other creatures about him 

But while they gossiped, Marrow worked. Quietly. Tirelessly. He listened to the rustle of the trees and followed the rhythm of change. One morning, he wrapped himself in a silky cocoon—not as an escape, but as a commitment.

Weeks passed. The forest barely noticed he was gone.

Then one morning, a vibrant butterfly emerged—wings gleaming with sapphire and ember hues, flight light as breath. Marrow had become something wondrous.

As he soared through the trees, a sparrow flew beside him. She looked closely and gasped.

 “Wait... aren’t you that caterpillar? The one who messed everything up?”

“I was,” Marrow replied, “but I’ve changed.”

The sparrow frowned. “Well, I remember what you were. Doesn’t matter what you look like now. I don’t trust you.”

And just like that, she darted away, chirping warnings to the other birds.

Marrow felt the sting—not in his wings, but in his heart. No matter how far he flew, shadows of his past trailed him. Some squirrels scurried when he landed. Some frogs scoffed behind lily pads.

But the flowers... oh, the flowers didn’t care.

They opened for him. 

He began to pollinate them, spreading life where there had been none. His flight helped the bees. His colors taught children insects that transformation was possible. The forest grew more vibrant.

Some still whispered. Some never forgave.

But the wise owl said one night:

 “Some creatures will always see you as the crawl, never the flight. But it’s not your job to stay grounded for their comfort.”

Marrow soared higher, and continued to help the forest thrive. 

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🌿 Moral of the Fable:

Some will trap you in the story of who you were, not who you’re becoming.

Fly anyway. Let them talk. Let those with eyes that can see, notice your change and your contributions. 

 

Progress, Not Perfection: Why Skill Comes with Time and Effort

At some point in your martial arts journey—or any journey, really—you’ll glance around and feel that creeping doubt whisper: “Am I good enough?”

Maybe your kicks don’t snap like your classmate’s. Maybe you blank on a kata you’ve done a hundred times. Maybe you’re just plain frustrated because improvement and belt promotion feels slow.

Yesterday, in Mighty Mites class, I overheard some of the boys in the boys break room (my office is not far from that break room). Names have been changed for privacy.

"I can't wait to get to Yellow belt! One more stripe until I get the rest of the yellow requirements!" Timmy said

"I'll never get to yellow belt. It's too hard and I forget a lot", Mitchie commented. The frustration in his voice was apparent.

"Well I come early before class, we can practice the strikes and stuff if you come early too", Timmy said.

"I can't..." Mitchie answered. Dad can only get me here right at 5 pm."

"Yeah, I'll ask my mom if I can get here 15 minutes early to practice too..." Avril chimed in.

"Me toooooooo I wanna come tooooo", Margaret's voice added from the girl's dressing room.

Mitchie's voice stayed dejected, "I'll never get good. Remembering stuff is hard".

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Here’s the truth Mitchie wasn't aware of yet: being "good" doesn’t matter as much as you think. What matters is showing up, trying, learning—and repeating that process over time. Being "good" happens gradually as your keep trying.

I went to the boys break room and asked if i could talk to them. I said "You know....in class, your personal best is enough. Even if it's not what you think is good or perfect. You don't have to be perfect on your first day, or even as a purple belt or higher. You'll make mistakes, and each time you make a mistake, you can learn from it a lot more than if you were just standing there worrying, right?"

"Yes, Sifu..." the boys answered.

"Mitchie? Did you hear me?" I asked.  "All I ask is that you try your best, and each time you try you'll get better. But you have to try to get better....even if you remember just one thing to practice at home.".

"I'll try...." Mitchie answered. His voice sounded a bit more positive.

"You'll get to yellow belt for sure when you keep trying! I know you will!" I added.

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🎯 Perfection is a Mirage

No one starts off a master. Black belts were once white belts who stumbled, doubted, and even wanted to quit. What sets them apart isn’t natural talent—it’s consistency.

Chasing perfection too early can paralyze progress. You get stuck trying to look polished rather than getting your reps in and building real skill. Remember: a little imperfect practice done often beats perfect practice that never happens.

🥋 Progress is Earned, Not Granted

In martial arts, every block, strike, and stance improves through repetition. That repetition, layered with mindful effort, is where transformation happens. You won’t always notice it day by day—but look back after a few months, and the progress is undeniable.

Think of your skill like planting bamboo. For a while, nothing seems to grow. Then—boom!—it shoots up rapidly. Why? Because it was growing roots the whole time.

So keep training. Your roots are forming.

🧠 Mindset Over Metrics

Don’t focus on whether you're "better" than others. Focus on whether you're better than yesterday's you. Are you more focused? More fluid? A bit more confident? Great—that’s progress.

When you replace “Am I good enough?” with “Am I putting in the work?”, you’ll start to see training as a path, not a performance.

💬 Encouragement from the Mat

At Seattle Wushu Center, we remind every student: You don’t have to be perfect—you just have to be present. We celebrate effort, not just excellence. Because growth is always worth more than giftedness.

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Final Word

Skill is not a gift—it’s a result. And it doesn’t arrive all at once. It arrives slowly, wrapped in sweat, effort, and the willingness to come back and try again.

So don’t worry about how good you are today. Just focus on showing up and being better than yesterday. That’s how warriors are made.