Everybody was kung-fu fighting (HOOH! HAAH!)
Those cats were fast as lightning (HOOH! HAAH!)
In fact it was a little bit frightning (HOOH! HAAH!)
But they fought with expert timing (HOOH! HAAH!)
Wo oh oh oh…..

Yeah, this was the song that was in the background for the Kung Fu Panda trailer. It instantly put me in the feet-tapping, head-nodding mode as I laughed and huffed, with popcorn in my mouth. That was a month ago I guess.

One month later, I was in the cinema, again with popcorn in my mouth, watching the fat panda getting into real action - kung fu.

Well, Po the panda is cute, though I would have preferred it to be smaller in size. If we go by the mantra that anything small is cute, hence if Po were smaller, then he would be cuter, right? In this sense, Master Shifu is really cute! Small and furry, yet agile and has a character of his own. Brilliant!

See, isn’t he real cute?

(All photos taken from the movie site www.imbd.com)

So, I don’t find Po cute. But I find him, well, at least he is furry. So what kind of fighting style can a six-foot-two-inch 260 pound panda has to impress the highly-reverred Master Wugui so much to confer the highly-acclaimed Dragon Warrior to him?

There is only one reason - destiny has it that every one has his or her own role to play in this Universe. And Po’s destiny is to become the Dragon Warrior to fight Tai Lung, the deposed disciple of Master Shifu, also the most-loved of all by him.

I learned some good lessons from this movie, and I’d like to share them here with you.

1. Belief

The power of belief. Master Wugui believed in Po when nobody does, even when Po doesn’t even believe in himself. Thus, because Master Shifu has an unshakable faith in Master Wugui, he adopted this belief in Po too.

Before Master Wugui ascended in Heaven (well it sure looks like in the movie!), the last words he told Master Shifu were “You must believe.” The power of belief is so strong that the hows, whats and whys of becoming the Dragon Warrior is of secondary importance. Only when you believe, you will achieve.

2. Flexibility

All roads lead to Rome. Similarly, there’s a Chinese old saying that means one kind of rice can breed one hundred different types of people.

There is no good or bad way of teaching Kung Fu. Whatever works for the individual is a good way. What is thought to be Po’s weaknesses turn around to be his strengths, and the exact ones that work to defeat an opponent like Tai Lung.

When Master Shifu notices this distinctive trait in Po, he quickly utilises it and trains him using a completely different method as he did with the Furious Five. What works for the Furious Five doesn’t work for Po, and vice-versa.

Flexibility is the essence in Kung Fu, so it is in the real world. How many times have we heard of failures of individuals and companies simply because they refused to adopt flexibility in their ways and policies and hence became prisoners of their own doing?

3. A heart of gold

Why didn’t Master Wugui appoint Tai Lung as the Dragon Warrior when Master Shifu also thought he was the right one 20 years ago, given his superior Kung Fu skills that surpassed all the disciples?

Because he doesn’t have a heart of gold. As much as excellent skills are necessary to be a good leader, equally or even more important is the heart of this person. Is he empathetic, compassionate, patient and inspiring? Does he set good examples by walking the talk, or does he only gives off commands from his office? In short, does he has a kind heart to be a benevolent leader?  

Take a doctor for example. What makes a good doctor good? Is it only his skills or is it a combination of this and his good patient handling methods? I’m sure many of you will agree with me that a doctor with a heart of gold will make it to the list, versus one who is technically rich but emotionally poor.

Hence Po, with a kind heart, undying perseverance to turn his dream to reality and a strong belief that he is who he makes himself to be, is the true Dragon Warrior in all sense of things.

Except, maybe, only one.

Erm, can somebody buy this panda a new pair of shorts, please?

P.S Want to know what personality type are you and who should you train under? Take the short quiz here and find out! Btw, I should train with Master Monkey haha