If you’ve ever watched the Kung Fu Panda movie, then you must’ve seen an emotional moment where Po expresses his emotions to Master Oogway about how he feels about himself and how he is so different from the other five—the crane, viper, monkey, mantis, and tiger. He lacks claws, wings, venom, and even the ability to imitate mantises. He compares himself to the other five and feels compelled to quit and return to making noodles. On the other hand, in response to Po’s question, Master Oogway says you’re too preoccupied with what was and what will be.
There’s a saying: “Yesterday is history; tomorrow is a mystery; but today is a gift.” That is why it is called “the present.” Here, Master Oogway encourages Po to stop dwelling on the past or the future and start focusing more on the here and now. This quotation sums up the significance of living in the present and being grateful for what you have at the moment.
Kung Fu Panda Quotes From the Movie
1. “Your story may not have such a happy beginning but that does not make you who you are, it is the rest of it – who you choose to be”
There are times in our lives when everything in front of us seems to fall apart. We begin to downgrade our self-worth and gradually fall into an inescapable trap of negativity and what-if phobias. But we should always remember that, when one journey ends, another begins. We should not ruminate over the past or what’s going to happen in the future. We should take our failures as a lesson and use them as a stepping stone to unfold what lies in the future. Your story may not be the best in the beginning, but it will always be the greatest in the end—because you know how far you’ve come and how much potential you hold in this very moment.
2. “Don’t push past memories deeper inside of yourself. Let those memories breathe and let old wounds heal.”
It is indeed not wise to stay stuck in the past and feel guilty about your past failures. Past is just a past, not a life sentence. The thing that matters is the present. The Past limits us from exploring the wonders of the world, imprisoning us into a cage of traumas, self-sabotagement, and what-if fears. It takes away our peace by simply revealing to us how and what we could’ve done when we had the chance. But, that’s not the truth! Opportunity knocks on the door every day. All you have to do is embrace it and stive for the better.
3. “To make something special you just have to believe it’s special.”
Most people who have ever achieved greater heights in their lives were once like us: scared, insecure, and clueless about what needed to be done. Surprisingly, they all had one thing in common. What was that? It was their belief that they were going to make it. They never got discouraged by the shortfalls and crippling criticism. In fact, they used it to fuel their motivation and eventually made their way out of the rut.
4. “There is always something more to learn. Even for a master.”
Always look at life as if you’re going to learn something new. Keep a positive attitude like a child who never allows ego, pride or arrogance to stifle its curiousness to learn more about the life. Because life never stops teaching us, so why do we stop learning then? Even if you’ve mastered an art or a skill, maintain a kind attitude toward others. Never let your status, pride or income comes in between you and your loved ones. As life is not about showing how much you have, but how much you can give.
5) “To make something special you just have to believe it’s special.”
There is nothing in this universe that becomes special overnight until you put your heart and soul into it. Whether it’s a life goal or a relationship, you will have to make an effort to make it special. You have to nurture it daily, infuse it with love and care, and watch it grow. You will have to live it every single day, savor it, cherish it, engage with it, shed tears with it, and fight for it the way you fight for your life every day.
When we deeply care about something or someone, we fear losing them. We fear that they might not return if we lose our grip on their hands. We resist, we fight because we want that thing in our life. Knowingly and unknowingly, it becomes special in our lives, and we become fearless, restless, and unstoppable because we understand its true value and why we can’t live without it.
6) “If you only do what you can do, you will never be more than who you are.”
You cannot become the one that your soul wants until you accept that you’re not where you heart wants you to be. If you truly want to become your true version, you will have to become the one you never were. It is difficult! We know that! But, living the life with your present self won’t gonna take you beyond the stars, it will only keep you in the corner of your imagination—dragging you into a day dreaming zone, from where it is impossible for you to break free.
So, choose to embrace fear, criticism, pain, suffering, mental pain to gain the strength to become your final version. There is a quote that says “sometimes the things that hurt the most teaches us the best lessons.” So, learn the life lessons as hard as you can, because the universe doesn’t offer the power to those who give up, but rather to those who persist and continually strive for the best.
7) “Your story may not have such a happy beginning but that does not make you who you are, it is the rest of it- who you choose to be”
This is another beautiful kung fu panda quotes that reminds us that no matter what happens in our lives, it doesn’t make us who we are, but who we choose to be. Beginning of everything always comes with difficulties, then time passes, wounds heal, pain goes off slowly and a new light of hope emerges. It is just on us how long we can wait to embrace the truth, to embrace the freedom or love we’ve longing for years or decades.