Time

(As explained by Sifu Jeff Brinker, November 6, 2024)

There seems to be some frustrations surrounding time. The phrase “I don’t have enough time” is becoming more and more common. How can anyone else possibly make a judgement, they know nothing about what I’m going through!

We have to disagree.

You absolutely do have enough time. You have the same amount as anyone else. 24 hours in a day.

What you don’t have is the same priorities. This is a different conversation.

If Kung Fu is not a priority, that does not mean that you don’t have enough time. You are spending your time on your priorities.

Stop complaining about your lack of time. No one has the ability to give you anymore. You have to decide what is important. At the beginning of the year, you had told us you decided that the I Ho Chuan was important. So, you are being held accountable, as we promised you. You had decided this is what you wanted and that you would make it work.

You do have enough time for this, just as much as anyone else has.

So stop complaining.

Start talking about your priorities, because that is where you are spending your time. Start talking about your priorities so that we are not wasting our time trying to help you with something that isn’t a priority to you, at the expense of something that is.

This is why mindful living is so important; so you are aware of your true priorities. So you know how you are spending your time.

Kung Fu will not work for you if you do not invest in it. Nothing pays dividends until you invest in it. So take care of your requirements. Don’t say they’re not serving you if you are not fulfilling your promise to do them. Of course they won’t serve you if you don’t do them.

So do them. Do them properly, to the spirit, one hundred percent. Then, at the end of a year tell us if they work for you.

Honesty and Time

This is not a new concept. We live in a culture who does not seem to value time. But in fact, it feels more like a system where our time is assigned a value based on what we are filling it with.

Herein lies the problem. We all are guilty of using the excuse that we do not have the time. I don’t have the time to finish the blanket I started to crochet three years ago, and so it sits incomplete, waiting for the day that I “find the time”.

Interesting thought, isn’t it? That time is something that I may just happen across? Find, like a lost sock under the bed?

I have less time now than I have ever had in my life. Not because I’m busy, have more chores or more responsibilities, but simply because one day I will die and every day that I live I am closer to my death.

That is the only point at which I will not have the time.

But until then, I do have the time for anything I wish. I have the time to travel Europe. I have the time to finish my blanket or read a book or pet the cat. I have time to spend with my family, type this article to you, or put my body to use practicing the skills I want to master in my Kung Fu.

I have the time for anything, I just have to decide what I will do.

Of course, I will have to decide what I want to do right now, since right now is all I have to work with. If I’m too busy with the dishes or gaming or mending fences or running a business… that’s not too busy, that is what I have decided to fill my time with. And yes, I DECIDED. It was a decision that was made. A choice.

You may say I HAVE to do these things. But in reality, how many times have you thought, I’ll do the dishes tomorrow? Well, that was a choice as well.

Of course, we need to make choices that will support our goals in life. If I always decide to not do the dishes then my house will become a mess, my family will suffer from the clutter, fruit flies will become our constant companion.

But it is still a choice, healthy or otherwise.

And I do not want an unclean home.

That’s what it comes down to. What do you want?

Because that is what drives our decisions when it comes to how we spend our time. I do not want to do the dishes, but I want a clean home. So I do the dishes. Or rather, I must decide to do the dishes to support what I claim I want.

What do you want?

If you want mastery in your life, then you must make decisions that will support mastery in your life. If you want to earn your black belt then you must make decision that will help you earn your black belt.

If you decide to spend your time in front of a gaming console or in a night club, then you are choosing to stall your progress on what you claim you want.

If you want to play video games, then play video games. But be honest, you are choosing to use the time you have playing video games.

If you want horses, have horses. But be honest, your decisions on how to spend your time will revolve around your horses.

Which is fine. That is your choice.

BUT, understand that just because you want something doesn’t mean that speaking the words “this is something I want, this is important to me” will get you any closer to it.

You may want it, but if you are not putting the time into acquiring it then you simply don’t want it as much as something else, whatever is filling your time.

I want to go to Europe. But I want to be with my family and build my life here more. And so here, with my family, is where my time is spent.

Saying I want to go to Europe and then wondering why I’m not in Europe is foolish.

Saying I want Kung Fu in my life but not taking the time to have Kung Fu in my life and then wondering why isn’t Kung Fu in my life is foolish.

Or worse, resenting that I don’t have Kung Fu in my life, and resenting those who do. Those who spent the time to acquire it.

It is that simple.

Be honest about what you want, and about what you want more. Spend your time as you see fit, but do not say “I don’t have the time”.

What is the Purpose of the I Ho Chuan?

Mastery.

What does this mean? Mastery is a broad term. When we speak of it, we are speaking in terms of the individual. Mastery in Kung Fu starts internally with humility and understanding, and works its way out to the external in the form of skill and ability. Many of us stop at the understanding and fail to recognize this. So much knowledge that will fail to manifest.

True mastery in Kung Fu has many facets, skill and understanding being only two of them. What benefit is all of this skill if you are not also taking care of your body, your community, your home, your loved ones? What benefit is it to you if you’re standing with all your ability and might, alone, in the middle of a burning bridge?

Mastery in any sense of the term is not easy. Time, effort, energy and commitment are not always in abundance. Mastery is simple though. Do. Not. Quit.

Now, to define what “quit” means. There is the very literal meaning; quitting the team, quitting classes, quitting Kung Fu.

But many of you do not realize that this is not the only way to quit. You do not need to say the words “I quit” to make it true. You can still be a member of the team, enrolled at the school, still have your name in the list and have quit.

It comes down to what you are doing. Or not doing.

To be a member of the I Ho Chuan is to make a promise to your instructors, your teammates and yourself that you will invest a year into yourself and your Kung Fu. Not at the detriment of your family or career, but alongside, tailing closely to these things. These things should work harmoniously with each other. It should never be a sacrifice of one for another. Balance.

If you cannot, or do not, invest the energy into mastery, then you will not obtain mastery. And there is nothing wrong with that. We all have other commitments, events and trials in our lives that sap at our energy and time.

Whatever your reason to miss classes, ignore your numbers, not blog, they are legitimate. Recognize that something else took priority over these acts. Recognize Kung Fu was not the priority. And that is okay.

Remember though, you do not get to reap the benefit if you do not tend the seeds. As it is with anything. And that is okay, if you recognize it. Where the tricky part comes in is when you expect the benefits without the work and effort.

To consider yourself successful in the I Ho Chuan, you do not have to become a master in Kung Fu. But you need to have developed the tools, habits and discipline to get yourself there. You need to learn the lessons, which means you need to be at classes. You need to document the journey, as a tool for yourself to determine where on the road (or ditch) you are, which means you need to blog. To be considered a candidate for black belt in this school means you must earn the rank. To be considered a black belt means you must maintain the rank.

Not easy, but so simple. Do not quit. Not on yourself, not on your Kung Fu. Do the acts, reap the benefits.

Journalling and Accountability

Click on Kato to see the video.

Advancing the I Ho Chuan- Year of the Dragon

The Year of the Dragon is approaching hard and fast. We will be building on your successes in the Year of the Rabbit by making some significant changes to the I Ho Chuan program. Make sure you review the requirements on a regular basis; they are a living document, and to help ensure your success on the team part of your regiment should include reviewing the requirements throughout the year. Pay attention to the wording, think about the intent behind each requirement. There is no requirement listed without purpose and thought. Do not read them mindlessly.

When the I Ho Chuan program was being developed, its intent was to null the need for the Black Belt Grading. If the program is followed as intended then it would act as the grading itself, preparing the candidates for the transition as well as providing all the relevant information needed to the grading board in order to determine if a student had grown into the rank.

Moving forward, the I Ho Chuan IS THE BLACK BELT GRADING. There will no longer be a formal “grading day”; your year in the I Ho Chuan is your grading, a year long process of growth and preparation for black. Only two black belt candidates to date have successfully completed the program as it was intended, and to date two black belts have come to their grading completely prepared. Quite frankly, they aced it. Only two, but those two have proven the efficacy and efficiency of the program when followed to completion.

We are accepting applications for the Year of the Dragon. If you would like to be on the team, please send in your application ASAP. Priority as always will be given to black belts looking to achieve a higher rank and to black belt candidates. Meetings will be set up with anyone who is interested and the remainder of the team will be determined on a first come first served basis.

Review the requirements, send in your request to join and make sure you come to your meeting prepared with any questions you may have.

Back to School Week 2023

In less than three weeks Back to School Week and all the opportunities it offers will be upon us. To make the most of the opportunities it is important that we plan and prepare.

Taking ownership of your training hall is what turns your gym into a Kwoon. The opportunity to hone your perspective on this is always there but it is never so vibrant than it is during Back to School Week.

This year’s list of projects is large but doable. Our success will be dependent upon project leadership. It is important that we have strong, present leaders throughout the week to keep people on track and to ensure everyone feels useful and appreciated. If everyone could start planning their contributions to this project before our meeting on Thursday, we will be able to confirm leaders and set priorities before the start of the project.

Here is the to do list for 2023’s Back to School Week:

2023 Coordinator - Malinda Ferris (Interior Projects) & Kat Thelwall (Exterior Projects)

• Paint ceiling in training hall - Nigel Bauer Lead (Laura Vogt)

• Remove door film - Malinda Ferris Lead

• Source new door handle - Kat Thelwall Lead

• Redo Zoom setup

• Sign lighting assessment and repair - Shawn Ritter Lead

• Buildings’ lighting assessment and repair. - Shawn Ritter Lead

• Peace Pole installation - Kat Thelwall Lead

• Nafudakake installation. - Sifu Brinker and Sifu Rybak

• Weed removal & Exterior Plant Care around both buildings. - Elizabeth Walker Lead

• Litter cleanup. - Don Bjorkquist Lead

• Parking lot cleanup. - Don Bjorkquist Lead

• Heat register cleaning

• Resealing slate tiles. - Malinda Ferris Lead

• Washroom deep cleaning

• Replace stained ceiling tiles in washrooms. - Malinda Ferris Lead

• Clean windows!!

• Mural painting.

• Finish underside of office cabinets - Kat Thelwall Lead

• Locate future parking spot for trailer - remove pole between buildings. - Kat Thelwall Lead

• Potato Bake - Don Bjorkquist Lead

• Lawyer’s downspouts - Deb and Don Bjorkquist Lead

• Bulkhead continuation - Mike Kohut Lead

• Dragon repairs/basket tightening

Please use the following Google Form to submit your availability.

https://forms.gle/EpShnSoNLApVGVpE6

Having Troubles Thinking Of What To Write About?

Some good wisdom here from my friend Huong Bui:

Lately, I’ve been finding it hard to show up here on LinkedIn. I feel unsure about what I have to say, and whether it will resonate. I feel unsure about the value that I have to offer through my words.

Today, I choose to practice what I preach, and find a way to reframe. So, instead of thinking, I have to create some thing good enough to share, here’s what I’m focusing on:

- I have the privilege of sharing my voice without fear for safety.
- I get to share my experience and my stories so others who are on a similar journey may feel less alone.
- I get to share my perspective and the lessons I’ve learnt so others can adopt what works for them.
- I get to be part of a community of people who care about the humans at work, and how we can improve the experience at work for everyone.

That feels pretty good to me. What about you? What do you get to do today?

Guys, you need to journal. You need to stop talking about not having things to write about. Write. Record. Share. Do that every week as you have promised and let’s see what happens.

2023 Tiger Challenge- A Chance at Mastery

The Tiger Challenge is coming up fast, which means soon you will either pass or fail another one of your requirements. Which are you going to choose?

Attendance is mandatory, same as your classes. And, same as your classes, if you cannot be there you need to let your instructors (me) know BEFORE THE EVENT. Why? So that you are forced to think it through, think through what you are going to say to me, and double check that you feel your reasons are valid and outweigh the importance of your engagement.

Work happens, injury happens, illness happens. Totally get it. But, if you are not in attendance and not competing in the Tiger Challenge, you have failed. Mastery doesn’t care why, just whether or not you do.

So what are you going to do about it? Are you going to throw your hands up in the air and say “Well, I failed. Bummer.”?

If so, then yep, you’re right.

It is imperative that you understand the statement “mastery doesn’t care”. The thing is, your instructors are not heartless and are not apathetic to your situation.

But, MASTERY DOES NOT CARE. You either do or do not. You keep your promises and meet your requirements, or you do not.

You are working your butt off and unfortunately get horribly sick a day before you grade for black. Do you really want the grading board to say “Aw that sucks, she tried, maybe we should just promote her anyways.”? Do you really want your efforts and your black belt tainted and degraded like that? You didn’t earn it, but you tried, good enough?

I hope not. I don’t want my efforts and my rank devalued like that.

So, what’s your plan? You may get sick, you may have to work, life happens. So what are you going to do to best ensure your success and your progression?

I’m not sure, but I do know shrugging your shoulders or leaving it to the fates is not going to move you forward on your journey.

Even Artificial Intelligence Knows Mastery

An experimental chat GPT bot has been given additional training in all five million words of Seth Godin’s blog. Here’s what it had to say when I asked it: “How do you stay motivated and creative when faced with writer's block?”:

”According to my training data from Seth's Blog, the best way to deal with writer's block is to write, and to realize that your bad writing isn't fatal. People with writer's block don't have a problem typing. They have a problem living with bad writing, imperfect writing, writing that might expose something that they fear. The act of doing it every day is more important than the output itself. When you commit to a practice, you will certainly have days when you don't feel like it, when you believe it's not your best work, when the muse deserts you. But, when you keep your commitment, the muse returns. When you keep your commitment, the work happens.”

Okay guys, it does not take a rocket scientist to see the wisdom here. Even artificial intelligence agrees with me. When you do not feel like training - train. If you have nothing to journal about - journal. What is the solution to all you problems? ENGAGEMENT! Take action and the results take care of themselves.

Jeff Brinker

Journalling With Intent

I wrote what I thought to be a very good comment on one of the team’s journals. Google not only did not post the comment but it also lost what I had written. So I am going to try and recapture it here.

When you guys are writing about your journey, especially if you are going to write about ‘breakthroughs’ and ‘insights’, — be specific. Talking about a seminal moment that has caused a stimulation and inspiration is not the same as defining what that stimulation and inspiration was.

Journalling is the most powerful tool you have in your mastery toolkit. Like every tool you have, how you use the tool is as important as the tool itself. A GPS is a fantastic tool to help you find your destination but if you decide to pound a nail with it, not so much anymore.

One of the best experiences of my life. Without more context, totally useless to the rest of you.

Some of you are incredibly disciplined when it comes to posting a weekly blog. That is the single most important aspect of the journaling requirement — discipline. So if that is your intent, fantastic! If that is your only intent, not so fantastic. You are missing so much more opportunity.

Think about what journaling does for you beyond being an important act of discipline. Recording your journey could leave breadcrumbs for you and others to retrace the steps you have taken on your mastery journey. The better you define these steps, the easier your path is to follow. Win-win for everyone.

If you want to maximize the value of your journal, then be specific about your journey. While writing “I had a fantastic week filled with insights and inspiration” is documentation of how your week went, it really does not provide any value or insight for your readers (or the future you) who wish to learn from your experience. Without the specifics of WHY and HOW you were inspired, and WHAT you did with that inspiration, you are basically only documenting WHEN you were inspired. Documenting when without any other information or insights is purely narcissistic because we’re talking about ourselves without sharing anything useful to anyone else. We’re providing superficial information without opportunity for anyone else to benefit. It is akin to sharing that you made a tonne of money with a stock market investment without sharing what that investment exactly was. Kudos for getting rich and letting us all know about it, but shame on you for not sharing more to give the rest of us the opportunity to benefit from your experience.

Always remember — the words you write should formulate and secure your thoughts. Your thoughts will fuel your actions.  Journaling consistently brings discipline into your life but journaling specifically creates opportunity in your life. We’re all missing out on the opportunity to grow from each other’s experience if we are not more specific. Expand the intent behind your journal and proceed boldly.

Classes and Meetings

Hopefully an unnecessary reminder to the team - our monthly meeting will be going on the 3rd Thursday this month because we had no classes the first Thursday. So that would be next week, September 15th at the Kwoon at 7:30.

I cannot stress enough how important your engagement in your classes and meetings is. Some of you have missed an awful lot of your class/meeting commitments through no fault of your own as they were excused absences. It is important that you remind yourselves that excused absence or not, mastery does not care and those absences have harmed you. You do not get multiple chances to exploit opportunities. Those opportunities are gone forever.

Self-awareness of the consequences of your choices is the only way you will be able to properly prioritize your training when it comes to all the other things you have going on in your lives. As always, kung fu should not be THE priority but it should be a priority. You need to decide how bad you want to master the art and then set your goals and priorities accordingly. And make no mistake - when I say ”master the art”, I am saying “master life” and “master yourself”. Just think of all the doors you are opening through your engagement in your kung fu.

Kung fu literally translates as “hard work“. Either you are going to do the work or you are not going to do the work. The choice is yours and the consequences of your choices are well-documented. What do you want?

Jeff Brinker

I Am Project - by Tom Callos

This project is simply an addition –and not a replacement –to regular journal writing. I’m calling this Directed Writing and Thinking as these ideas, in many ways, hold the keys to being a Master, to being successful in business, to being a great partner, father, friend, student/teacher, and human being.

In fact, I might be so bold as to suggest that these ideas are the only way to live; if you’re not living for these affirmations, then what are you LIVING for? To watch TV? To go shopping? 

These affirmations, these words, represent many of the best things in life, the things that inspire music and art and all that is best about being alive. The misguided pursuit of these concepts might very well be the reason people stuff themselves with food or alcohol or drugs or with endless walks through shopping malls buying “things.” There is a need to fill the void; there is a need to BE something that can’t be ingested or purchased. 

This is a mindset –a kind of thinking, understanding, and awareness. It is our daily mental training –our meditation.

As members of the I Ho Chuan, we seek to hold ourselves accountable to these things; to engage in thinking and activities indicative of awake individuals; people who recognize the intelligence and wisdom of pursuing this kind of thinking, being, and living.

This project, besides being a method to expand our vocabularies and look deeply at extraordinary ideas, is also about holding each other accountable to being dignified, intelligent human beings.

In the “ultimate” situation, a Master Teacher is a shining light –a vibrating entity –among so much plastic, illusion, and contrived “agenda.” We hold a responsibility to understand the difference between what is valuable –and what is fools gold. The exercise, this year-long investigation and practice, begins with this statement: 

I am affirming these things about myself. 

I am... 

1. exuberant
2. connected
3. a leader
4. an example
5. a student
6. a teacher
7. forgiving
8. an activist
9. humble
10. patient
11. an institution (responsibility, emulate these qualities)
12. proactive
13. resourceful
14. compassionate
15. open-minded
16. quiet
17. listening
18. participating
19. responsible
20. charitable
21. unencumbered
22. self-sufficient
23. thoughtful
24. discerning
25. rational
26. tolerant
27. spiritual
28. meditative
29. joyful
30. educated
31. intuitive
32. an athlete
33. disciplined
34. organized
35. courteous
36. honest
37. brave
38. a warrior
39. an artist
40. am a follower
41. explorer
42. at peace
43 collaborative
44. intrepid
45. excited
46. breathing
47. blessed
48. unburdened
49. receiving
50. a gift
51. conscious
52. engaged (participative)
53. loving
54. my business (I am my product)
55. community
56. in training
57. a beacon

Writing Instructions

Write about these ideas in any way you’re able. I don’t care if your thoughts are long- winded or short; it’s your job to put yourself behind your work in a way that teaches your followers how THEY should/could do it themselves.

The end result of this project is to explore and develop a NEW VOCABULARY of empowerment and philosophy for your school (and perhaps, for your life). The words most commonly used in martial arts schools, “courtesy, integrity, perseverance, indomitable spirit, honor, etc...) aren’t poor choices, but to adequately express and LIVE life, one needs an understanding of a lot of other concepts.

Here we explore the words and ideas behind a new kind of martial arts/life thinking. Do it right and you will have developed something unique to your experience, to your life and thinking and beliefs.

You may write about any of the words, in any order. There are, purposely, enough words to fill every week of the I Ho Chuan project. Members are required to make 30 (or more) entries using the words on this list.

Our Top Story

Documenting your journey is essential to your success as a future black belt. Not only does it give you insight into who you are and who you wish to become, your public journal leaves breadcrumbs for others to follow your path.

For I Ho Chuan members who are struggling with their journalling requirements because of challenges with perspective, Seth Godin has some words of wisdom:

"When you talk about your last job, your last vacation, the things that happened when you were 12…

What do you lead with?

Do you lead with, “I broke my ankle that summer and rarely got out” or is it, “I stuck with my reading regimen and read all of Shakespeare.”

Because both are true.

The top story is the one that informs our narrative, and our narrative changes our future."

If you want the benefits, you must do the work. If you have a problem with work, think of it as an investment. Investments pay off over time. 

Jeff Brinker