I DON'T HAVE TIME

 by Yang Shuangxing

If I had a nickel for every time a student or prospective student told me that they didn't have time to practice, I'd be a very wealthy man! I'd ask, “You mean you don't have 30 minutes of free time every day?” And they'd sullenly shake their heads as they presented me with a whole list of “chores” that had to be done every day. It was really very silly.

Ususally, I didn't argue with them; the actual translation of “I don't have time” is “I don't want it bad enough.” I'd often remind them of a common saying; “You'll never have time...you have to MAKE time.” Did they think that the practitioners and masters 300 years ago had it any easier? If anything, their lives were likely busier than what ours are today! The difference is that there were fewer distractions and they really WANTED to learn and perfect their skills. They were strong-willed and possessed strong spirits. And they were willing to make certain sacrifices to achieve their goals. Most people nowdays are much less inclined to do the same thing.

It's really a question of how high up on your list of priorities your training is. If it's near the top, you'll find a way to do it; you'll MAKE time. Otherwise, you'll just make excuses. And every excuse is a reason for failure.

If a wannabe truly doesn't have 30 minutes of free time every day, he should (A) quit, or (B) get a new life.