I often see students who want to be able to do everything I can do after only a couple of months of practice. It’s not that they really think they should be able to, just that they don’t seem to have the patience to let the improvement come. I’ve found that focusing on one thing at a time is the easiest way to get there.
“Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy. ”
Lao Tzu
Your thoughts?
John
P.S. Hint, I used to be one of those students who didn’t want to wait. 
I found this image here: http://files.walerian.info/file/Funny/Animals/patience-grasshopper.jpg
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Sheldon (75 comments)
633 days ago
very good advice John, you are so right, why can’t we have differing opinions just once? LOL
What it reminds me of is a lesson my late grandfather gave me when he was teaching me to play pool(billiards), he would tell me not to worry about winning the game or sinking all the balls, just focus on sinking the easy shots first and the game will take care of itself.
I guess learning taichi is the same, as well as using taichi.
Learn the lessons in the time it takes to learn them, don’t worry about mastering it all now no now… and when using it, take the easy shots first, don’t try to be tricky or over think it, keep it simple students.
John Crewdson (479 comments)
633 days ago
Sheldon,
Yea, the simpler the better. Come to think of it, I need to apply this to playing pool too. I’m pretty bad a pool.
John
P.S. Some day I might just disagree with you on general principles so you can feel better.
Al Simon (8 comments)
631 days ago
Sheldon’s comments remind me of a book I read nearly thirty years ago, “The Inner Game of Tennis”. I’m not a tennis player, but the book was recommended to me by my college guitar maestro, who said it was applicable to almost any physical skill.
I hadn’t thought about that book in decades, but now that I think about it, it had a big influence. Focusing on the “inner game” more than the “outer game” is really a large part of my approach to practicing and teaching.
I understand what you are saying about the impatience of students. The best way I’ve found to counteract that impatience is to make sure my students start seeing benefits *immediately* from their practice.
After every class, including their first, I try to make sure my students see some benefits – small or large – in the areas I focus on: health, stress relief, and Chi development. I’ve structured my teaching so that my students see changes and improvements in one or more of those areas after every lesson.
Last month, I was interviewed for the second season of the Living Energy Secrets teleseminar series, and I said something to the effect that new students don’t show up at their first class to learn Tai Chi. Instead, they are there to get SOMETHING FROM Tai Chi. If you can give them a little of that something at the start, especially the first lesson, they’ll keep coming back.
Best wishes,
Al
Organic Fertilizer (3 comments)
627 days ago
It seems that most people want or need what tai chi offers – the introspection, meditative aspects, flexibility, balance, mental improvements as they begin to age. I have taught many younger folks, especially students who are highly stressed – who have embraced the movements and principals and received tremendous benefits.
John Crewdson (479 comments)
627 days ago
Al,
Showing your students immediate benefits is a great way to keep them interested. Since I know we get benefits right from the start I haven’t really focused on making sure they realized it from the first class. I know what you mean about students wanting something from tai chi rather than learning tai chi; we do everything because of what it will give us. That a very simple yet profound shift, just like playing the “inner game”.
Thanks for sharing your perspective. It’s very helpful, and congratulations on being interviewed. I hope that brings you even more happy students.
John
John Crewdson (479 comments)
627 days ago
Organic,
I love when younger students come in and stick around. They benefit as much as older students and I think they’re energy in the class helps the older students too.
Thanks,
John
anthony morrison (6 comments)
621 days ago
For learning good things, everyone must have to keep patience because without it nothing is possible for improvement. When you start learning for something it will take time to set in that so for that keep patience is the most.
John Crewdson (479 comments)
614 days ago
Anthony,
Yep, patience says it all.
John
humic acid (2 comments)
303 days ago
Tai chi is a great way to relax from the stress of the day. Tai chi is a gentle, low impact form of exercise. Tai chi provides many benefits that include relaxation, stress relief, and balance of mind, body, and spirit, which makes for a great senior exercise program.