Ride The Storm
Do not worry
I suppose today’s blog is mainly aimed towards those who are teaching or those who one day wish to teach.
The message behind this blog is that there will be quiet days, so try not to sweat it.
Throughout this pandemic I have taught well over 200 livestream sessions, some sessions with twenty-plus students in attendance and some with only a handful.
One reason for the occasional low number session is that for some, this may not be their preferred method of training, or perhaps they managed to arrange a little group training that week on the side, maybe they’re just waiting for the school to reopen, or most likely that they finally had a chance to get together with a family member?
The key thing here is to remember…
‘It’s nothing personal, so try not to sweat it’
Over the last 30 years I have had enormous classes, including one which went into treble figures!, but we also have quiet nights too, some due to happy events such as students’ being on holiday or maybe their coming to the end of their University years and having to part ways, and some quiet periods down to unhappy times such as job losses and recession.
But it is during these quiet times that we must keep strong as teachers, keep your head down and keep going, weather the storm and the numbers will pick up again for you.
Busier times
The reason I share this is because I very recently went to my laptop, ready for one of my lively upbeat, all singing, all dancing (you get the idea) livestream session, only to find…. one person.
That’s right,
One student.
After nearly forty years of training, thirty years of teaching, more than three decades of being a disciple and world representative to Grandmaster Ip Chun, eldest son of the Great Ip Man, here I was, faced with one student.
WTA*?
As it turned out it was a great session, with that lucky fella getting in essence, a private lesson!
I turned what could have been a negative vibe into a great fun experience for the both of us, giving me a chance to go over some important basics which often can be a little overlooked.
This experience reminded me of when I first opened my school in 1991, there I was, ready to welcome the masses into this new venue of knowledge, and at the stroke of 7.00pm I opened the doors,,,
and there he was.
The next class there was no-one, but on the third class I had three students, this was now exciting and for me, to be the start of something extra special and completely life changing.
So again, if you do have a quiet class or two:
‘It’s nothing personal, so try not to sweat it’
They will be back, just remember, a lot of these people have not seen their families for the last year either, nor have they been able to sample the delights of freedom, such as going for a meal or having a beer with friends, so let them enjoy the sunshine, do everything you can to keep your schools up and running and keep the doors open, ready for their return, because they will be back, and they’ll be happy you waited for them.
Happy training everyone and here’s to a happy and healthy future.
