There are two words that are confused in leadership and teaching, but understanding the difference can change how you approach your training:

Manipulate and Motivate.

At their core, the difference is simple:

• Manipulation is getting people to do what you want them to do.
• Motivation is getting people to do what they want to do.

Is the goal of a martial artist to manipulate? The answer is both yes and no, depending on who is standing in front of you.

When to Manipulate (The Opponent & The Body)

In the physical realm of Kung Fu or Tai Chi, manipulation is a requirement.

If I am facing an opponent, one goal is physical and psychological manipulation. I want to draw them off balance. I want them to react to a feint so I can open a line of attack. I am trying to get them to do exactly what I want them to do.

As a teacher, I also use physical manipulation with students. When I physically adjust posture, correct a stance, or move an arm into the proper angle for a block, I am manipulating a body to show the correct path.

When to Motivate (The Student & The Mind)

But when it comes to the mental game of teaching students, leading and learning from my martial arts family, manipulation fails.

I cannot trick a student into being disciplined. I cannot manipulate you into loving the art or putting in the hours of practice when no one is watching. If I force a student to train, they are doing it for me at that moment. That isn’t sustainable.

A good teacher (and always a student first) must have the ability to manipulate the body, but the skill to motivate the mind.

One goal as a teacher is to provide tactical insight that is specific enough to make you think. That is motivation and something that is harder to do. Example: my constant failures at motivating students!

Your Job: Manipulating The Variables

Here is where the two concepts meet.

I can attempt to motivate your mind, and I can physically manipulate your body to show you the standard. But eventually, you have to take ownership.

Motivation only sparks the fire. To be successful, you have to put in the work to apply the lesson. You must become a master of manipulating the variables in your life.

• You have to manipulate your schedule to ensure you have time to train.
• You have to manipulate your environment to remove distractions.
• You have to manipulate your own stiff joints and tired muscles to do the work.

The instructors at the Temple will continue to work on providing the motivation. You have to execute the manipulation.

See you in training,

Sifu Oscar

 

P.S. Motivation gets you started. People wait for the perfect moment to start training, but the truth is, you have to manipulate your own schedule to make it happen. If you have the internal motivation to start but need a structured path to follow, here are two ways I can help:

1. See it for yourself: The best way to understand Wah Lum is to see it in person. Comment with OBSERVATION and we will set up a time for you to come visit a class.
2. Start from home: Comment with FOUNDATIONS and I’ll send you the details for our 21-day remote prep program.