“Be an empty cup” is proverb in Chinese wisdom that you can also found in the kungfu movie “The Forbidden Kingdom. It is the attitude when you want to be good learner.
Cup is used as table tool in traditional tea ceremony, which is ceremony to welcome the relationship between friends or between student and teacher. The cup is a symbol of our mind or heart in interaction with others.
When our mind or heart is full of prejudice, judgment and pride, it is difficult for us to accept new lesson then we got nothing. You cannot fill the cup which is already full. You should make it empty or half empty so you can fill it with new lesson. As a student, perhaps, you have ever judged the teacher then you decide not to listen seriously because the class is so boring. As an employee, perhaps, your company has ever sent you to the training program, which you do not like to join. In other situation, perhaps, you prefer to be understood and listened by others than to listen and understand others. These three situations are the example of full cup. You will learn nothing if we do not open up our mind and heart to listen and learn the lesson.
Be an empty cup. Open up your heart and mind so you will get more improvement. You can get deeper understanding on the same lesson even if you join in the same training. You can learn precious things from people that you meet. Open Up! Open Up!
