Photo: Bruce Lee Enterprises, LLC; All Rights Reserved
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NTRO PARAGRAPH? C’MON, YOU KNOW WHO we’re talking about here. You’ve seen the films, heard the quotes, and mimicked that iconic “WA TAAAA!” Hell, even Uma Thurman channeled her inner-Bruce for her film Kill Bill. The man who was born in America, raised in China, and overcame a troubled childhood to become an Asian-American Hollywood Superstar. But beyond the action and action-figure physique resides enough wisdom to raise the question: What can we learn from this legend’s tragically short life? In short: a whole lot. So grab your nunchucks (and don’t hit yourself swinging them) as we examine three core aspects of the dragon himself: learning, technique, and cultivation. Ladies and gentlemen, this is: How to Be Bruce Lee. Learning. “The idea is that flowing water never goes stale, so just keep on flowing.” A poet, deep thinker and cha-cha champion, Lee was a layered man who loved water metaphors. He pushed himself and others to continually evolve like a running stream. When it came to learning new things, martial arts or otherwise, he always stressed action. Although an avid reader, he was also an avid doer. “Knowing is not enough, we must apply… we must do.” He encouraged his students, colleagues and family to “absorb what is useful… reject what is useless.” Nothing embodies this mantra greater than Jeet Kune Do, Bruce Lee’s own
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martial art, an amalgamation of styles both Eastern and Western. Nicknamed the “style of no styles,” Lee insisted JKD to be ever-evolving, always changing, flowing, like water. After training in Kung Fu from a young age, Lee experimented with Judo, Fencing, Western Boxing, and many other combat arts. Along his martial journey, Lee examined new information in relation to himself. He found his own way, just as he thought everyone should. He began to know himself through these experiences, stating “all knowledge is ultimately self-knowledge.” Technique. Technique is essentially the art of the clash, two opposing forces meeting head on. To Lee, the first step in mastering technique was knowing oneself, a recurring theme in his philosophy. As a boy, Lee was a troublemaker and street gang member with a violent temper. He has recalled being beaten in the street by other boys - a far cry from the one-inch punches, two-finger push-ups, and badass triple threat of mind, body, and soul that we so fondly remember today. He recognized himself, refined himself into something wholly unique. However, as you know, fights do not happen with one person, but between two. The next component of technique is knowing your opponent. Lee knew his opponents well, as they were often
