Last year, I started Wing Chung Kung Fu for the physical training and for the deep life lessons this ancient art form offers. What I learned is that Wing Chun is much more than just movement; it is a journey of self-discovery and discipline.
Here are 6 valuable lessons I took away from my Wing Chun training that are important in personal development as much as in professional leadership:
1. Discipline and perseverance: In Wing Chun, any progress is the result of constant dedication. This is also true in our work and life. The greatest successes do not come in a day, but by pursuing your goals step by step, even when the going gets tough.
2. Balance between strength and softness: Wing Chun teaches you to harmonise strength and flexibility. In leadership, this means sometimes steering and sometimes moving with change. Finding balance between decisiveness and empathy is key.
3. Inner calm and focus: As in Wing Chun training, where calmness and concentration help you master complex techniques, calmness and focus are crucial in dealing with the hectic pace of everyday life. Leadership means acting, but also being able to slow down and reflect.
4. Responsibility and overcoming challenges: Wing Chun forces you to take responsibility for your own progress. Even in our work, we should not avoid challenges but see them as opportunities to grow and learn. Only by taking responsibility do we create real impact.
5. Ego and humility: In Wing Chun, you quickly learn that ego can be your biggest enemy. It can blind you to real growth and improvement. In a leadership role, humility is a strength: it allows you to keep learning and growing and to work with others without putting yourself in the foreground.
6. Living from your true self: Wing Chun teaches you to live in harmony with who you really are. In a world full of external expectations, staying true to your values and integrity is a challenge. True leadership comes from within and is based on your true self, not external pressures.
Wing Chun Kung Fu has helped me apply these principles both personally and professionally, and I hope these lessons are valuable for you too.
What are the most important lessons you have learnt on your path to personal development? A fun question to ponder for a moment!
Claudia Harleman
Year of birth: 1989
Profession: Self-employed Entrepreneur/Owner: Incredible Future
Residence: The Hague
