A Hitch in My Step – Katie

“If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.” -Frank A. Clark

Footwork is a fairly new concept to me. My previous training dealt mostly with inside fighting and I never considered moving around much. Many times since I started training with Sifu’s backyard group, I’ve thought to myself, “I seriously suck”, “I’ll never get this”. Finally I realized that this kind of negative thinking wasn’t going to get me anywhere. I thought to myself, “I’m pretty positive in all other aspects of my life…why not here?”

I realized that the fact that I’m a seriously stubborn perfectionist may have something to do with it. Sometimes being hard on myself is a good thing. Sometimes its not, and maybe one of the reasons I can’t get my head around footwork is that I am standing in my own way.

Sure, I want to improve my footwork, physical condition, and improve my striking and ground techniques. All of that; however, comes secondary in comparison to things I need to work on mentally:
+ Getting out of my own way
+ Being positive about my progress
+ Being positive enough about my lack of progress to figure out what I’m doing wrong
+ Understanding when its ok to be a perfectionist
+ Understanding when its not ok to be a perfectionist
+ Drowning out negative energy that will only hinder my progress

I think a majority of our adversity in life boils down to the fact that we refuse to buck up and get ourselves on track, both mentally and physically. I’m working hard on getting myself on track and motivated to achieve progress free from mental or physical limitation, because no one else is going to do that for me.