The book “Han Fei Zi – Yu Lao” contains a story entitled “Zhao Xiang Zhu drives a carriage.” Wang Liang taught him how to drive a carriage and Zhao challenged him to a race. He changed horses three times, but in spite of his efforts lagged behind and eventually asked Wan Liang if he had taught him all worth teaching.
Wang Liang replied, “I have taught you all the techniques, but you are applying them incorrectly. The key to driving a carriage is the horse that is willing to pull, and the other part is the personality of the driver and his concentration to guide the horse. Only then will your progress be speedy and you will put great distances behind you. But you merely concentrated on catching up with me when you fell behind, and when you were ahead; you worried about me overtaking you. In races such as this, one is at one time behind, and sometimes ahead. Your thoughts concentrated on me. Doing so, how can you guide your horse? That was the reason you fell behind.”
Ancient Chinese folklore urges to concentrate on one event to get to the goal. All distracting thoughts must be set aside; one must grasp the fundamentals and be thoroughly familiar with the techniques. Only then can one reach one's goal.