Never give up on your goals
Wushu champion Loh Ying Ting’s formula for success is sheer persistence.
TEEN wushu exponent Loh Ying Ting has never given up when faced with adversities.
Overcoming challenges in a positive manner, Loh believes hardships help her learn more about herself.
“They help us understand our limits in order for us to know how and where we can improve,” says 18- year- old Loh who recently competed in the SEA Games, her first senior competition.
Loh knew she was playing against the defending champions from Vietnam. She finished fourth but was not discouraged. After the results were announced, Loh consulted her seniors for their feedback on her movements and suggestions on how to improve herself. She does this so she can learn more constructively during her training sessions.
Although she did not win any medals at the SEA Games, that did not dampen her fighting spirit, and she is back to training hard for the next competition.
Loh knows hard work pays off; she has won six gold medals in various junior competitions. Among them were the notable World Junior Championships in 2012 and 2014 and the Youth Olympic Games held in Nanjing, China last year.
Loh has certainly come a long way.
She was first exposed to the Chinese marital arts in 2007 when a group of Wushu exponents performed at her primary school. Captivated by wushu’s elegant movements and its performers’ discipline, Loh took up the sport. She enrolled into her school’s Wushu club at the age of 10.
Even though she was so young, Loh was enthusistic about wushu and determined to give her best. As she became better and more serious in the sport, Loh found she had to juggle between school and wushu. There was a time when she failed two subjects in school. But instead of giving up, Loh pulled her grades up with her mother’s support and encouragement.
Loh’s mother Wong Choi Lin kept a close eye on her grades by ensuring she has a balanced schedule. But there were times when Loh had to burn the midnight oil, cramming till 2am after her sports training. Wong understands her daughter’s unwavering passion for wushu but she also wants her to value her education. She is her daughter’s pillar of strength and motivator.
Loh and her mother are setting a good example in teaching perseverence and redefining the way families look at failures. Even when they are not involved in competitive sports, our children face big and small challenges every day. Like Wong, parents play an important role in nurturing children who are strong and resilient, who do not give up easily when there are difficulties.
Here are tips for parents to nurture children who can meet challenges and not give up easily. .
You are your child’s No. 1 cheerleader but stop the overpraising
Overpraising can have a negative effect on children as it can affect their self- confidence and motivation, and turn them into people who need constant affirmation. Giving too much praise to children may condition them to think they always deserve a reward for everything they do. They could think that hard work is not valued but that result motivated by self- interest is more important.
Redefine the word failure for your children
Many children and adults are deterred from pursuing certain goals because we are afraid of failing. As parents we should instill in our children that setbacks are part of life’s journey, no matter what we venture into. We need to strike a balance between being protective and letting our children venture out on their own.
We should allow our children to experience failure and to teach them to be persistent.
Failure should be viewed as essential in achieving our goals and in the path to greatness.
Teach your children that failing to try is a form of failure. Our perception of failure is deeply entrenched in how we deal with life’s challenges and how we manage them. Ultimately, it’s not whether we are the best but whether we did our best that’s most important.
Build on your children’s past success
Once children learn they need to persevere, they will use that drive and determination in all their pursuits. This tenacious spirit can be used for any task or challenge in life. The confidence a child gains from mastering one task can be carried over to other areas.
This is the philosophy Loh’s mother use to motivate her to pull her grades up after she failed two subjects in school. Loh achieved this by staying strong and applying the same principles that win her medals in wushu to her studies.
Break down goals and tasks
To make things easier for children who have to handle difficult tasks, break down their goals for them. Their tasks become less intimidating when you guide themstep by step; this will also give them a boost of confidence too.
There are times when Loh had too much to juggle and Wong helped by suggesting ways of managing her time more effectively.
Not giving up and being perseverant are essential for your children to accomplish what they want in life. Make the most of opportunities to teach your children this valuable life lesson. At times it can be difficult to encourage your children not to give up, especially when things are difficult. Some children may end up throwing tantrum, refusing to continue on.
Nonetheless, it is important to persevere and encourage children to try their best, and slowlystrive towards their goals. If you give in to your children’s tantrums and allow them to give up, you are sending out the message that you don’t think they can succeed.
If your children think you do not believe in them, they are much less likely to believe in their own success.
By encouraging them to not give up on their goals, you are teaching your children that you believe in them, and they need to believe in theit abilities to succeed.
Photos: Milo