Jackie Chan, throughout his career, maintained an excellent work ethic that made him one of the finest actors in Hollywood. The star often spoke about the significance of discipline and its importance in his life. While discussing where he got his ethics from, Chan once mentioned his teachers’ role in his goals. In 2014, Chan sat down with Ogilvy Asia to talk about his life – up, close, and personal. While discussing his childhood, he mentioned how his determined attitude toward work came from an extremely strict teacher.

So was training in a hostile environment beneficial? Let us see what Chan had to say.

Teaching Jackie Chan discipline

Not many know that Chan is a trained classical opera singer too. While one might imagine martial arts training to be tough and hostile but for Chan, it was opera school. The star previously talked about how students would work day in and day out to hit the perfect notes. Teaching opera was a different ball game altogether.

The interviewer mentioned Chan’s previous conversations about opera school. He reminded Chan how the punishments he bore made him despise the teacher and their methods. In one of his earlier quotes, Chan stated, “Every day, we would train from dawn to midnight, and anyone caught taking it easy would be whipped and starved”. Yet, when one was to look at the star today, he’s a huge advocate for discipline in one’s life.

Read More: “Was Angry at Being Left by Myself”: Jackie Chan Had to Undergo Brutal Training as Parents Moved to Australia, Revealed in 2001

To this, the star explained how his beliefs shifted growing up. Although he would be angry when whipped or scolded for minor reasons, he realized his teacher’s motive later. The goal wasn’t to be sadistic; it was to impart discipline to the extent that the child doesn’t make miscues. Chan learned to be resilient due to both opera and martial arts. When his opera teacher made him stand in the same pose for a long time, Chan learned resilience through pain.

Jackie Chan has been the pioneer of martial arts in Hollywood. With movies like Rush Hour, he proved that action and entertainment could go hand-in-hand. Do you think that disciplining through tough ways could go a long way?

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