What is success? It’s to never give up.
Why would one give up? He had a change of heart.
中文两字词语是阴阳的。信念 – 信往外，念往内。
Each person has many reasons why he/she chooses to do something or not to do something. They are all valid reasons to them. No one is unique is this regard.
When you want to quit, you will always be able to find a very compelling reason.
When you don’t quit, you simply don’t see any reason to do so.
We see what we want to see. If we want a reason, there will be a reason.
Master Chen mentioned a story about a student in Edmonton, who was very dedicated to learn Practical Method for 7 years. One day, she decided to pause for 6 weeks to go to Korea to attend someone’s wedding. She saw that she must go because a friend from church wanted to go back to Korea to have a wedding, and if she did not go, the friend wouldn’t have anyone from Canada attending that wedding.
Master Chen foresaw that she wouldn’t be able to come back after the trip, and advised her not to go. The student didn’t understand and so she went on her trip. Unfortunately, she got sick in Korea, and it was so serious that she couldn’t train anymore after coming back to Edmonton. She insisted on coming to class, but she could only sit on the side to listen, and couldn’t participate. 4 more years of sitting on the side, and she stopped coming eventually. The Edmonton studio moved to a new location, and unfortunately, Practical Method moved on, and she was not able to keep pace and continue.
During the class, there was another student who mentioned that she finally found Practical Method, and she believed that it was the real taiji. She believed that she wasted time in learning the previous thing. Master Chen pointed out that saying “time was wasted” meant that she would likely find something else that was “better” in the future, and would resent spending time in Practical Method. This is a pattern that will likely repeat itself.
It is very normal for people to give up, to continue the existing habit, to stay trapped in the same cycle.
What is the difference between a son and a step-son?
A son has a natural relationship with you that exists not by his or your choice. He can’t sever it even if he wants to. 先天 is something pre-existing/pre-determined, and not something you choose to have or not to have. A parent will always be able to forgive his son. The son won’t think about his parent intentionally hurting him.
To be extraordinatry, it is to break the norm, be able to do something that cannot be achieved by a common person.
