3 Lessons For Entrepreneurs From The Ancient Art Of Kung Fu

The skills of entrepreneurship have been compared to many endeavors. Warfare. Games of strategy (“Let’s go chessboard it”). Athletic contests. And how about… Kung Fu? During the
past year I’ve had the chance to spend time with a world master of the ancient Martial Art of Kung Fu, Pedro Cepero Yee (a Sifu Level, 8th Dan). Now 52, Yee has been inducted into both the World Martial Arts and United International Kung Fu Hall of Fame.
Yee was introduced to Kung Fu at the age of 6 by a Filipino family who lived nearby. At 10, he began formal studies in the arts of Karate, Shuai Jiao, Wing Chun and his chosen art, Hung Ga Kung Fu. In addition to his accomplishments in Kung Fu, he is a life coach, a mentor, an expert in Chinese bodywork and, most recently, a writer and author, working to help people at all levels break through their self-imposed limitations to attain the highest possible accomplishments in their chosen work and their personal lives.

Entrepreneurship requires long and deliberate practice according to Pedro Cepero Yee (Image courtesy of Pedro Yee)

Kung Fu, as a category, is much more than a Martial Art. It includes any practice that requires patience, energy and time to master. Beyond a sport or a form of defense, it is a process of slow and deliberate practice over a long period of time that strengthens body and spirit and, most importantly of all, the mind.

Yee was not a child of privilege. He learned perseverance and a strong work ethic from his mother, Yolanda Rivera, and the power of keeping his word and always aiming higher from his adoptive father, Master Frank Yee, who is one of the most recognized martial artists in the world. Pedro credits his achievements to the support of his family, friends and wife Magdalena, “who breathes life into any endeavor I choose.” (In a similar way, my great friend, photographer and life coach, Damira Maricic, has been responsible for helping me see a way through a transformational period in my own life and business as well.)

Yee teaches entrepreneurs and others The Breathing Mind Perspective, developed through years of his own study, work and personal experiences. In a world where time is of the essence, he notes that many people are pulling themselves backwards as they devote their time and energy to correcting the mistakes of the past. Whether it is a relationship, a life trauma or a work experience, the focus on correcting the past becomes a drawn-out process that may never end.