The Mercurial Nature of Perfection

Editorial

by Sibok Lloyd Fridenburg
Fu For You Spring 2024

The mercurial nature of perfection can be like a mispositioned light luring victims onto the rocks; or it can be a shining beacon that beckons us ever closer.  Perfection is just an illusion because just as we reach out to touch it it moves further away.  The pursuit of perfection can be both a blessing and a curse.  Over the years we have attracted many students who, in other facets of their lives, are at the pinnacle of their endeavors.  That may be school for our younger students, or professional endeavors for those a bit older. 

I have had conversations with younger students over the years who were upset because they were given 98% on an exam when they felt they were entitled to more.  For those of us that always struggled just to stay in the C range this seems completely absurd, but for the individual it may seem like the difference that will enable their chosen career path.  It is the pursuit of perfection, and some professions demand perfection.  Would you like to be operated on by a surgeon that passed med school with a 70% average?  Would you want to drive across a bridge designed by an engineer that graduated at the bottom of their class?

No matter what program you are currently enrolled in, Youth, Junior, or Adult, the high ideals of academic pursuits can clash with the perception that you will be equally successful in physical pursuits.  I have taught students over the years that I would consider extremely high achievers that seemed to have the golden touch regardless of the task before them, but they are rare.  Most struggle with the clash between academic and physical perfection.

Perfection is in the eye of the beholder.  We may look at a world class athlete, scientist, doctor, or engineer, and think they are perfect in their field, but because of that elusive master called perfection, they may feel that they are inadequate. 

Perfectionists tend to strive for that elusive pinnacle in all aspects of their lives and often come to realize that the pursuit of both physical and academic perfection may not be a personal possibility, a realization that can be very frustrating for some.  It is sad to see very promising students give up because their physical ability could not equal their academic ability, even though I might consider their skills to be near the top for their rank.  Therein lies the problem; they were close to the top, but not at the top. 

For some success comes easy, while others struggle every step of the way.  I would encourage you to strive for personal excellence in your Kung Fu pursuits, rather than the elusive notion of perfection.  I view excellence as always trying to improve while still accepting your limitations and capabilities, and never compare your own ability or accomplishments to those of others.  If you are attaining your personal Kung Fu goals, or constantly working towards them, you are reaching towards that very attainable personal excellence.