“Be Like Water”

“Be like water”

It is the most famous quote attributed to Bruce Lee. The actual quote is famous in Chinese philosophy and Taoism and has been used for decades. Lee made it mainstream.

Bruce Lee is known as an actor, martial arts expert and philosopher. His most famous film was ‘Enter The Dragon’ which was released 6 days after his untimely death. Lee became more famous after death than before.

The full quote from Lee was “Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless, like water. You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow, or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”

The quote reflects adaptability and flexibility. So how can we all be more like water?

1. Accept that change is inevitable and when things don’t go as planned flow with the circumstances.

2. Don’t be rigid or dogmatic in your thought process. Stay open to new ideas and concepts.

3. Water can seem soft and gentle at times but its constant flow can wear down even the toughest rocks. We should show perseverance and gradual effort to reach our goals.

The legend of Bruce Lee is more compelling than the actual story of his life but sometimes important lessons come to us from wise but ultimately flawed actors.

Be like water.