What I learned from ‘Kung Fu Panda’

This post may contain spoilers.

FIND what motivates you and use it to your advantage! We are motivated by different things. To get fit, one could be motivated by the love for exercise, another by the desire to fit into those 24-inch jeans again. To get our own home, one could be motivated by a garden her kids can run around in, or the freedom from renting pitfalls.

In “Kung Fu Panda,” Po the Panda had difficulty learning kung fu. Quite a major setback when the enemy’s on the way. Eventually Master Shifu figures our how to use Po’s passion for food as a motivation to learn kung fu. Chopstick skills improved Po’s dexterity. Steamed buns could only be earned with the proper strategy. By putting together his hunger for food AND learning kung fu, he was able to master the art beautifully (and amusingly).

Admit to not knowing, and then strive to know. Before the foodie-kung fu puzzle was put together, Master Shifu was at a loss. How do you teach a big eternally-hungry lug to be the Dragon Warrior? Po challenged Shifu to answer, to which Shifu said, “I don’t know!”

Humility is a difficult trait to have. Not knowing may make us feel stupid and lacking. It is a matter of mindset however. Don’t be afraid to not know it all. It is better to find out the answers than to assume. Shifu’s humble admission and dedication to looking for the answer paid off in the end.

While we may work best alone, it helps to get along with others too. The Furious Five (Tigress, Monkey, Snake, Crane and Mantis) were already kung fu experts. While each one was strong, they worked well in fighting Tai Lung with their combined moves. Po, being the greenhorn, had trouble fitting in. By patiently building a friendship with them, his stay at the Palace became more comfortable and his training more focused.

There are a lot of things we feel we can do better on our own. Nothing wrong with that. Always remember though that there are people who can help us be more efficient, effective. And hey, it doesn’t hurt to laugh with someone in the middle of a busy day!

Take what is there and make the best out of it. Oogway kept repeating, “There are no accidents.” I still don’t buy this as much because it’s hard to believe everything is solely left to fate. But what I like about this thought is the attitude of being proactive. We could jail ourselves with thoughts of “should’ve been’s” and “what if’s,” but why waste time on that? Take what is present and do the best that you can with it.

I thoroughly enjoyed and loved “Kung Fu Panda.” It’s been a long time since an animated film has me laugh so much. It’s a great film for kids too. I think I’ll watch it again!

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