What is holding you back?
Are you still having problems making progress? This is something a lot of people have and not limited to students of Tai Chi or martial arts in general. Be mindful of the why? And we have to learn to stop chasing our tails or complain.
Are you asking the right questions?
Over the years, I have noticed a few habits of successful learners. That is they ask the right questions and seek a solution to problems. There is no such thing as a stupid question, but if you ask the same question many times, then you wonder if the stupidity is in the actual question or the one who asked. Some concepts are not easy to understand, but putting the concept into action is not always easy. If you don't know, then you definitely should ask. When you have an answer, then put it into practice.
You might ask, why not copy somebody who can do it well? This is probably the go-to solution that many people have, because you might think that that is the answer. There are some things you can't visually learn, because there are probably many things that have gone into that sequence of movements. I've seen cases where people copy, but don't understand what it is they are trying to do. They think they have the look, but lack the substance. Let's keep things into perspective. Let's not assume everything is easy, but at the same time, not everything is hard.
The right mindset
Pretty much everything come down to yourself. In the majority of case, you join a class because you want to. You want to give it a go because you want to. What keeps you going will largely be the motivation and the will to get to achieve something. For those who are here for health, you want to get fitter or feel better. For those are more athletic or want to walk the martial journey. There is the hunger and the drive to succeed. If you want to succeed, whatever your goal, you will find a way. You need confidence and grit. Train with people who have an alpha mentality. The reason being that, by being with alphas will drive the group forward. The opposite is true of betas, where you won't make as much progress. If you work hard, your success is yours and not your teacher's. The more effort and honesty you put it, the more meaningful the results. For that reason, the right mindset is key.
Are you ready?
Many of us think we're ready and in all honesty, we're not. This is not about being harsh, but the reality of our development. With access to all the resources and tips, you may not understand. Learning Tai Chi is not a tick-box exercise. And you might ask why? Because you learn one thing and then move onto the next. That is progress in a way, but if you were really honest, you have to ask yourself if what you are doing is good enough. Not against your peers, but could it be better. Work at it and you may reach a point where you feel you get it. Then you're ready. I used to think I was ready, but until I experience failure and various setback. I would not understand why and what I need to do better. Learning requires you make mistakes and make you look at them.
The journey
The Tai Chi journey is not all about sunshine and rainbows. The media don't tell us the reality, but then it isn't their job to. My advice to my students is top keep it real and do what you can. If you don't know, just ask the question. Let's share and learn together. If you don't give yourself unrealistic expectations, then you'll have a more enjoyable time.
Lastly, be classy, credit those who have helped you along the way.
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