3 Take Aways from The Karate Kid

I saw The Karate Kid (2010) this past weekend.  It’s not Daniel-san or Mr. Miyagi or the Crane technique, like the original The Karate Kid.  Instead, it takes place in China, it’s got Jackie Chan, and they do Kung Fu.  In fact, I wish the title was The Kung Fu Kid.

It’s got some amazing scenery of the mountains and the city, and some incredible fight scenes.  But it’s not all eye-candy.  It’s got story too.  It’s the story of a “boy meets bully.”  Dre, the new kid in town, becomes the target of a bully.  It’s also the story of a “boy meets girl.”  Dre’s love interest is Mei.  It’s also the story of a “boy meets teacher.”  Dre gets schooled in the ways of Kung Fu by Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), a humble maintenance guy, who becomes his teacher, friend, and father figure.

Here are my three take aways from The Karate Kid

1. A true friend is somebody who makes your life better.   This was one of my favorite lines from the movie.  It’s so simple, but so true.
2. Sometimes you have to earn your respect.   There are many times in life when you have to prove yourself – either to yourself or other people.  I find this pattern is especially true when you’re changing places or changing jobs.  Sometimes it means finding your fit.  Sometimes you are a fish out of water.  Other times, it’s a real growth opportunity.  My greatest growth came from my greatest challenges.
3. Life will knock you down.  You can choose whether to get back up.  This was another one of my favorite lines from the movie.  Life is unpredictable.   You’ll face setbacks.  Things don’t always go as planned.  Sometimes life can really seem unfair.  At the end of the day, it’s not what happens to you, but how you respond.   One of the most important things you can do when you get knocked down, is get up again.  This is how you build your resiliency for whatever life may throw your way.  And, as my Mom always told me, whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

I liked this movie on multiple levels.  It was already a classic story, but I was surprised how well this movie was done.  From the actors, to the scenes, to the story lines – it’s solid.

Photo by Marvin Kuo.