Before I laced up boxing gloves or grappled on a mat, I trained in kung fu. I was fortunate enough to study at a Seattle school where legendary martial artist Bruce Lee once taught. I never met him, of course, but being in that space, I felt a connection to his energy and way of thinking.
I remember one of our earliest kung fu lessons: the horse stance. We would plant ourselves low, knees shaking, and toes gripping the floor and occasionally going numb. Our shifu, a Chinese term for teacher, would walk past us, eyes sharp.
I’d count the seconds as if they were minutes and the minutes as if they were hours. The next day, walking to school felt like trudging through quicksand.
Looking back, the horse stance was about building a foundation in kung fu, one made of patience, endurance, and self-discipline. Those early encounters with martial arts taught me that personal growth often comes wrapped in hardships.
They also taught me that endurance, at a deeper level, is not about fighting against challenges in life but flowing with and adapting to what comes at you.
Be Like Water
Lee’s approach to martial arts was not punching harder or kicking faster, although he could certainly do both. Rather, he prized adaptability and meeting challenges with creativity.
One of the most famous metaphors he used was to be like water. Water is soft, taking the shape of whatever contains it, and flows past obstacles instead of crashing into them head-on.
This concept applies to life beyond a martial arts school. Instead of resisting change or struggling against situations we cannot control, we can learn, adjust, and keep moving forward.
Walk Your Own Path
Another lesson from Lee is the idea of personal expression. He did not see martial arts as a mechanical repetition of someone else’s movements; to him, it was an art form that organically evolves with the person that practices it.
Lee believed that technique should serve individuality, not the other way around. In his case, he created his own martial art, Jeet Kune Do, which reflected his philosophy as much as his skills.
Keep It Simple
Lee also valued clarity and directness. Efficiency, not excess, was his rule of thumb—it was not about doing more; it was about doing what matters most.
In our daily lives, we often fill our minds, relationships, and schedules with unnecessary clutter. Lee’s philosophy reminds us to strip away trivia and focus on the most important things in life.
The simpler your approach, the clearer your path becomes.
Show Up and Take Responsibility
According to Lee, if you want to improve at martial arts, you show up, you practice, you reflect, you push yourself, and you accept the consequences of your actions.
In my kung fu training days, alongside the horse stance were punching bags, one soft and forgiving, and the other filled with what felt like rocks. The temptation to sneak the soft bag was constant, yet I chose the rock bag every single time.
Pain was immediate, yet lessons were lasting. Each small triumph over discomfort felt monumental to me. I learned to take action and accept the consequences of my action.
Laugh Along the Way
Lee did not take himself so seriously that he couldn’t laugh, and he appreciated the little absurdities that sometimes come with growth. Martial arts is intense and competitive, and he believed lightness of mind fuels resilience.
Life becomes easier when you can find humor in it and keep experimenting in the face of embarrassing failures. That combination of discipline and lightheartedness keeps one going.
Be Honest With Yourself
Lee encouraged people to examine themselves and to be honest with their strengths and weaknesses. According to Lee, self knowledge is the key to personal fulfillment.
When I trained in kung fu as a kid, there were moments when my pride or impatience got in the way. Over time, I learned to recognize those moments and correct them. Being honest with yourself is not always easy, but it is essential if you want to make progress in any area of life.
Never Stop Learning
A key part of his philosophy is continual learning. Lee was a lifelong student, constantly experimenting with techniques, fitness routines, and ideas from around the world.
Being open to new experiences, perspectives, and methods helps one grow as a person. Outside martial arts, this mindset helps us innovate and enjoy life more fully.
