A little while ago, I watched the IP Man movie series,
and it has stayed with me ever since.
The series follows Yip Man, a legendary martial arts teacher.
Among his many students, the most famous was Bruce Lee.
What struck me about the Ip Man movies was the lack of fight scenes.
Instead, we see Yip Man spending time with his family, having tea, meeting friends, and navigating everyday struggles.
Politics, war, and philosophy play their roles, but one thing remains constant—Yip Man practicing his craft.
The biggest lesson from the series?
Don’t fight when it doesn’t matter. Save your energy for the battles that truly count.
The opposite of important work isn’t busywork—it’s rest.
“It’s very easy to spend a decade being incredibly busy and stressed every day, feeling like you’re working incredibly hard, and creating a ton of movement—but not moving forward.” — Sam Altman
Hidden within the Ip Man series is the Rule of 70/20/10:
🔹 70% rest
🔹 20% training
🔹 10% fighting
We, too, can apply this rule to our writing lives.
Are you spending all your time fighting battles that don’t matter?
Or are you reserving your energy for the moments that truly count?
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