Knowledge in martial arts actually means self-knowledge. A martial artist has to take responsibility for himself and accept the consequences of his own doing. The understanding of JKD is through personal feeling from movement to movement in the mirror of the relationship and not through a process of isolation. To be is to be related. To isolate is death. To me, ultimately, martial arts means honestly expressing yourself. Now, it is very difficult to do. It has always been very easy for me to put on a show and be cocky, and be flooded with a cocky feeling and feel pretty cool and all that. I can make all kinds of phoney things. Blinded by it. Or I can show some really fancy movement. But to experience oneself honestly, not lying to oneself, and to express myself honestly, now that, my friend, is very hard to do.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Martial arts mean honest self-expression and responsibility; faking confidence is easy, genuine expression is hard.
- In plain terms
- Be honest about yourself instead of faking confidence.
- What can you take from it?
- Prioritize honest self-expression over showmanship.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What stops you from being honest?
- How do you express yourself truly?
Another view
Social performance is sometimes required in public settings.
More from Bruce Lee
Knowing is not enough, you must apply; willing is not enough, you must do.
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