Practice 10,000 Times

"I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."

-Bruce Lee-

That quote from Bruce Lee is one of my favourite quotes. It gives me strength when I fail on something, when I start over learning, or when I practice something.

When I fail and try again, I always remember that quote. Take a real example: failing on exam. Once I failed on my neurology exam then I took a remedial test. I found out that I failed on my remedial test so that I had to take a "short semester". In short semester, we had lecture again then we took another exam. I passed my exam after that short semester. That was the time when I found this quote. After finding it, I told a "serious joke" to my mother. I said, "Mom, this is a quote from Bruce Lee. He fears the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times. Well, I've studied neurology three times: before exam, before remedial test, and in short semester. It means that I have to study neurology 9,997 times more to master it while my friends who don't have to take short semester still have to study it 9,999 or 9,998 times more."

It doesn't mean that I'm happy when I fail. Of course I'm sad when I fail. I'm normal. I just see failure as a chance to learn. Even if I don't fail, that quote still works when I start over learning. I actually learned Russian when I was in secondary school then for some reason (or without reason) I didn't continue learning it. Now I decide to learn Russian again and I've started over studying the letters. At first I was like, "I think I don't have to study the letters. I'm capable of reading and writing it." However, even some information or ability can vanish if you don't use or practice it for a long time and that's what happened to me. I tried to read a Russian text. I could read it but it took a long time because I needed more time to remember the letter then I decided to study the letters again. Well, I have to practice Russian 10,000 times to master it.

If you're currently trying to achieve or master something but you experience a lot of failure, Keep trying. You need to practice 10,000 times.