Quotes by Bruce Lee
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Take what's useful, discard what is not.

A kung fu man lives without being dependant on the opinions of others, and a master, unlike the beginner, holds himself in reserve. He is quiet and unassuming, with no desire to show off.

The abdominal and waist region coordinate all parts of the body and act as the center or generator. Therefore, you can promote the ability to control the body's action and master your will more easily.

The primary Reality is not what I think, but that I live, for those also live who do not think.

A self-willed man has no other aim than his own growth.

I create opportunities.

Dedication, absolute dedication, is what keeps one ahead!

If you make an ass out of yourself, there will always be someone to ride you.

Memory: Recognizing the value of an alert mind and an alert memory, I will encourage mine to become alert by taking care to impress it clearly with all thoughts I wish to recall and by associating those thoughts with related subjects which I may call to mind frequently.

The past is an illusion. You must learn to live in the present and accept yourself for what you are now. What you lack in flexibility and agility you must make up with knowledge and constant practice.

Ultimately the greatest help is self-help.

Be like water, my friend.

Be self aware, rather than a repetitious robot.

It doesn't matter you were born as Legend
But what does matter is Legendary End.
Think About It.

When the ultimate perfection is attained, the body and limbs perform by themselves what is assigned to them to do with no interference from the mind.

The medicine for my suffering I had within me from the very beginning, but I did not take it. My ailment came from within myself, but I did not observe it until this moment. Now I see that I will never find the light unless, like the candle, I am my own fuel.

The martial arts are based upon understanding, hard work and a total comprehension of skills. Power training and the use of force are easy, but total comprehension of all of the skills of the martial arts is very difficult to achieve.

Use no way as way, make no limitation, limitation.

Never try to copy a successful personality.

I am not afraid of an opponent who practiced ten thousand kicks once. What I am afraid of is an opponent who practiced one kick, ten thousand times.

Where some people have a self, most people have a void, because they are too busy in wasting their vital creative energy to project themselves as this or that, dedicating their lives to actualizing a concept of what they should be like rather than actualizing their potentiality as a human being.

Put 'going the extra mile' to work as part of one's daily habit.

When the opponent expand, I contract. When he contracts, I expand. And, when there is an opportunity, I do not hit -- it hits all by itself.

To know, but to be as though not knowing, is the height of wisdom.

True mastery transcends any particular art. It stems from mastery of oneself -- the ability, developed through self-discipline, to be calm, fully aware, and completely in tune with oneself and the surroundings. Then, and only then, can a person know himself.

A conditioned mind is never a free mind.

Learn the principles, abide by the principles, and then dissolve the principles.

Anger should be expressed. - Any anger that is not coming out, flowing freely, will turn into sadism, power drive, stammering, and other means of torturing.

To see a thing uncolored by one's own personal preferences and desires is to see it in its own pristine simplicity.

The most dangerous person is the one who listens, thinks and observes.

To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion, to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.

The disease of philosophy. -- Philosophy is itself the disease for which it pretends to be the cure: the wise man does not pursue wisdom but lives his life, and therein precisely does his wisdom lie.

Give up thinking as though not giving it up. Observe techniques as though not observing.

Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you. I'll not willingly offend, nor be easily offended.

To express oneself honestly, not lying to oneself--that, my friend, is very hard to do.

There is no mystery about my style. My movements are simple, direct and non-classical. The extraordinary part of it lies in its simplicity. Every movement in Jeet Kune-Do is being so of itself. There is nothing artificial about it. I always believe that the easy way is the right way.

Satori -- in the awakening from a dream. Awakening and self-realization and seeing into one's own being -- these are synonymous.

Art reaches its greatest peak when devoid of self-conciousness. Freedom discovers man the moment he loses concern over what impression he is making or about to make.

Because one does not want to be disturbed, to be made uncertain, he establishes a pattern of conduct, of thought, a pattern of relationship to man etc. Then he becomes a slave to the patter and takes the pattern to be the real thing.

But neither can you condemn nor justify and yet be extraordinarily alive as you walk on.
You can never invite the wind but you must leave the window open.

Using no way as way. Having no limitation as your only limitation.

The word superstar is an illusion.

Don't think. FEEL. It's like a finger pointing at the moon. Do not concentrate on the finger, or you will miss all of the heavenly glory.

It is compassion rather than the principle of justice which can guard us against being unjust to our fellow men.

Do not deny the classical approach, simply as a reaction, or you will have created another pattern and trapped yourself there.

The idea is that flowing water never goes stale, so just keep on flowing.

Everything you do, if not in a relaxed state will be done at a lesser level than you are proficient. Thus the tensed expert marksman will aim at a level less than his her student.

Boards don't hit back.

All knowledge leads to self-knowledge.

The meaning of life is that it is to be lived, and it is not to be traded and conceptualized and squeezed into a patter of systems.

Now I see that I will never find the light
Unless, like the candle, I am my own fuel,
Consuming myself.

Many people dedicate their lives to actualizing a concept of what they should be like, rather than actualizing themselves.
This difference between self-actualization and self-image actualization is very important. Most people live only for their image.

If there is a God, he is within. You don't ask God to give you things, you depend on God for your inner theme.

Empty your cup so that it may be filled; become devoid to gain totality.

A good teacher protects his pupils from his own influence.

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.

Take inventory of everyone with whom you have contact.

People try to hold onto the sameness. This holding onto prevents growth.

We have great work ahead of us, and it needs devotion and much, much energy. To grow, to discover, we need involvement, which is something I experience every day -- sometimes good, sometimes frustrating. No matter what, you must let your inner light guide you out of the darkness.

Never waste energy on worries or negative thoughts, all problems are brought into existence -drop them.

To tolerate is to insult.

It's not what happens that counts... it's how you react.

There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.

If you follow the classical pattern, you are understanding the routine, the tradition, the shadow -- you are not understanding yourself.

When you feel pain, you know that you are still alive.

Effort within the mind further limits the mind, because effort implies struggle towards a goal and when you have a goal, a purpose, an end in view, you have placed a limit on the mind.

In order to realize our true self we must be willing to live without being dependent upon the opinion of others.

The more complicated and restricted the method, the less opportunity for expression of one's original sense of freedom.

To become a champion requires a good mental attitude toward preparation. You have to accept the most tedious task with pleasure.

Practice makes perfect. After a long time of practicing, our work will become natural, skillfull, swift, and steady.

Instead of dedicating your life to actualize a concept of what you should be like, actualize yourself.

To spend time is to pass it in a specified manner. To waste time is to expend it thoughtlessly or carelessly. We all have time to either spend or waste and it is our decision what to do with it. But once passed, it is gone forever.

When one has no form, one can be all forms.

If I tell you I'm good, probably you will say I'm boasting. But if I tell you I'm not good, you'll know I'm lying.

Low aim, not failure, is the crime.

Observe what is with undivided awareness.

Genius: The capacity to see and to express what is simple, simply!

Since life is an ever evolving process, one should flow in this process and discover how to actualize and expand oneself.

Give recognition where it is due. Compliments stimulate more effort and desire to improve. Be generous with honest praising.

It is not a shame to be knocked down by other people. The important thing is to ask when you're being knocked down, 'Why am I being knocked down?' If a person can reflect in this way, then there is hope for this person.

Let nature take its course and your tools will strike at the right moment.

Every morning like a scholar at his first class I prepare a blank mind for the day to write upon.

To be what I term a 'quality' human being one has to be transparently real and have the courage to be what he is.

What Is, is more important than What Should Be.

Everybody has to think for himself. A right way for a big man may not be a right way for a small man. A right way for someone who is slow may not be a right way for someone who is quick. Each person must understand his weaknesses and his strengths.

In life, what more can you ask for than to be real?

To me defeat in anything is merely temporary. Defeat simply tells me that something is wrong in my doing; it is a path leading to success and truth.

We are told that talent creates opportunity, yet it is desire that creates talent.

Believe me that in every big thing or achievement there are always obstacles-big or small- and the reaction one shows to such obstacles is what counts, not the obstacle itself.

Don't fear failure. Not failure, but low aim, is the crime. In great attempts it is glorious even to fail.

Do not be tense, just be ready, not thinking but not dreaming, not being set but being flexible.

I've come to understand that life is best lived, not conceptualized.

Don't ignore the five senses in search of a sixth.

We do not become. We simply are.