Tag: training mindset

What Mozart Told the 21 Year Old

Temple TeamMindset & Philosophy

Hello Wah Lum Family,

There are two ways to climb a mountain.

You can start at the bottom and make every single mistake from scratch on your way to the top. Or, you can take a Sherpa with you and master the best of what others have already figured out.

We often hear that “mistakes are the best teachers.”

I don’t know about that.

Your mistakes aren’t the best teacher; they are just the most expensive. The successful learn by example; they learn from the experience of their Sifu and their seniors. The foolish insist on firsthand pain.

However, there is a trap here.

While you need a guide, you cannot rely solely on asking for directions. Advice is overrated, and action is underrated.

There is a story about Mozart that perfectly illustrates this point:

A young man asked Mozart how to write a symphony. Mozart replied, “You’re far too young to write a symphony.” The young man protested, “But you were writing symphonies when you were 10 years old, and I’m 21!”

Mozart smiled and replied, “Yes, but I didn’t go around asking people how to do it.”

You can read all the books, watch all the videos, and ask your Sifu every question in the book. But ultimately, advice-gathering can quickly become procrastination in disguise.

The Balance:

  1. Trust the Sherpa: Don’t try to reinvent the system. It has been refined for longer than you’ve been alive so you don’t have to make the “expensive mistakes.”
  2. Be like Mozart: Don’t just ask how to be good. Go train.

Take the advice, act on it, and adjust accordingly.

See you in training,

Sifu Oscar

 

P.S. There are 2 ways I can help you stop “advice gathering” and start taking action:

  1. See it for yourself: The best way to understand the system is to see it in person. Email us kungfu@wahlum.com with Observation, and we will set up a time for you to come visit a class.
  2. Start right now: Reading about Kung Fu or fitness won’t change your life; doing it will. Don’t wait until you know “how” to write the symphony. Just start playing the notes. Our Foundations program is the perfect place to start.
    Click here to stop researching and start training.

The Secret to Long-Term Progress

Oscar AgramonteMindset & Philosophy

Fall in Love With the Basics

You’ve got to enjoy what you’re doing, but more importantly, you have to enjoy the process.

I recently told an advanced student: “You have to keep falling back in love with the basics, not just the new stuff.”

You also can’t improve everything at once. Some skills need to go on “maintenance mode” while you focus on priorities. That focus is a superpower, one I still need to work on myself. 

When I feel good, I start adding too much, and the priorities slip away.

Remember, there’s a law of diminishing returns. Doing 50 kicks gets you more than 25, but not twice the results. Each extra set gives smaller gains than the last. 

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t push, but it’s worth understanding.

And one last thing: don’t glorify fatigue. Being tired is not the goal, it’s just a byproduct of working hard enough to change. The goal is growth. Fatigue will show up along the way.

Sifu Oscar

 

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are ways we can help you get started.

1. Schedule a time to observe a class.
Interested in Kung Fu or Tai Chi?  First step is to watch a class and see if we would be a good fit! Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for an appointment.

2. Become part of my exclusive Coaching Group with CYH Remote Coaching.  Get personalized coaching delivered right to your phone and catered to your specific goals.
Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for info.

Control Corner 23 with Sifu Oscar: The Power of Thinking

Oscar AgramonteControl Corner, Mindset & Philosophy

Welcome to the Control Corner, your weekly dose of wisdom on mastering control in martial arts, health, and life. At Wah Lum, the flipped Chinese character for ‘Fire’ represents control—an idea central to everything we do. 

Let’s explore how focusing on what matters can help you reach your full potential.

Essentials: Throughout history, deep thinking has powered successful people. It’s not about thinking more, but thinking better. Taking just a moment to reflect—whether through Kung Fu, Tai Chi, reading, or time in nature—can unlock insights that shape your path.

Why It Matters: When you pause and truly listen to yourself, you gain clarity about your goals, your challenges, and your aspirations. The strongest traditions, the ones that have stood the test of time, are the ones that encourage deeper thinking. Success isn’t just about working harder—it’s also about thinking just a bit deeper.

What’s Next: In today’s world, focus is the new IQ. Those who cultivate the ability to concentrate without distraction will thrive. Give yourself space to think—slow down during forms, focus on your breath, or take a mindful moment after training.

As Bruce Lee said, “To become different from what we are, we must have some awareness of what we are.” The more you cultivate thoughtful awareness, the more you’ll see old ideas in new ways—and that’s where true growth happens.

 

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are ways we can help you get started.

1. Schedule a time to observe a class.
Interested in Kung Fu or Tai Chi?  First step is to watch a class and see if we would be a good fit! Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for an appointment.

2. Become part of my exclusive Coaching Group with CYH Remote Coaching.  Get personalized coaching delivered right to your phone and catered to your specific goals. Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for info.