It’s hard to think of a more inspirational and influential action star than Bruce Lee; the fact that we see his image on T-Shirts, posters, Memes and more to this day shows what an important person he has been in the world of action and martial arts.
So many fighters, martial artists and action stars have been influenced by Lee and how he transformed the martial arts genre into mainstream entertainment worldwide.
He even wrote a book called The Tao of Jeet Kune Do as well as provided some fantastic quotes which should inspire us all to live our lives to the fullest potential.
I thought I would look for a few of my personal favourite quotes from Bruce Lee and that they may inspire some of us to become the next great action star or at least the best versions of ourselves.
“Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.”
“I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.”
“If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”
“Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.”
“A quick temper will make a fool of you soon enough.”
“To me, the extraordinary aspect of martial arts lies in its simplicity. The easy way is also the right way, and martial arts is nothing at all special; the closer to the true way of martial arts, the less wastage of expression there is.”
“Take things as they are. Punch when you have to punch. Kick when you have to kick.”
“The less effort, the faster and more powerful you will be.”
“Not being tense but ready. Not thinking but not dreaming. Not being set but flexible. Liberation from the uneasy sense of confinement. It is being wholly and quietly alive, aware and alert, ready for whatever may come.”
“Don’t fear failure. — Not failure, but low aim, is the crime. In great attempts it is glorious even to fail.”
“You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.”
“Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one’s potential.”
“The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering.”
“The doubters said, “Man can not fly,” The doers said, “Maybe, but we’ll try,” And finally soared in the morning glow while non-believers watched from below.”
“Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one”
“A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.”
“Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.”
“Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.”
“Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.”
“If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”
“Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.”
“Showing off is the fool’s idea of glory.”
“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.”
