"Be like water, my friend," is a famous saying by Bruce Lee. In addition to martial arts and cinema, Bruce Lee was passionate about philosophy.
One of his favorite authors was Jiddu Krishnamurti. Therefore, Bruce’s words, like those of his movie characters, are often filled with philosophical meaning. So, what does the philosophy of water mean for modern people?
The words about water signify that nature always triumphs over man. There's no point in resisting; water doesn’t flow uphill. A human will inevitably reveal their true nature (consciously or not) in what they are inclined towards. You shouldn’t learn to become someone you don’t want to be. You won’t be able to pretend for too long. You can’t rely solely on willpower all the time.
Going against nature means moving in the wrong direction. Moving in the wrong direction means heading towards defeat. The wrong direction combined with willpower accelerates defeat. But even the right direction doesn’t guarantee the proper use of willpower.
A wise person uses willpower where it is needed. It’s like a nitro charge. You can use nitrous oxide for a certain distance to overtake a competitor. But you can’t drive the entire track on nitro.
Willpower can only be used for short periods in your life’s journey. It might be two weeks of overtime work without sleep. But several years of such a regime will lead you to collapse. Even if you’re heading in the right direction your engine will burn out.
We can burn, but not for long. When there’s too much willpower, we burn out.
Most often, "willpower" means the ability to force oneself to do something. To force oneself to do more, do it faster, do what one doesn’t want to do. The ability to make oneself do things is a key life skill. But who dreams of living life where you constantly have to make yourself do things you don’t want to do?
What remains? The path of water remains. Over short distances, fire is possible, which is your internal nitro reserve. After all, not every moment of your life will be exactly as you want it to be (even going in the right direction). And that’s okay. But in the long term, the path of water, the path of least resistance, is more optimal. By the path of least resistance, I mean not laziness, but naturalness.
If you have a talent, it is natural to use it. Isn't that what the biblical parable of the Talents is about? Giving your talent (a measure of silver) to money changers is the path of least resistance. Burying the silver and not using it is laziness.
The path of water is always a move towards something new, it’s a path of change.
Many people fear change. Because they have something to lose, or they simply fear the unknown. But look at what’s happening in the world now: pandemics, global warming, full-scale war initiated by Russia against Ukraine, and as a result, thousands of lost souls and economic decline. Changes happen suddenly, often not as desired, but changes are inevitable.
Despite the war, marriages are being contracted in Ukraine, including among military personnel (a groom and bride serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine are not uncommon). Children are born; new lives and new hope for a peaceful future appear. Change is the most stable phenomenon in life.
There are two main vectors of change:
- those leading to chaos;
- those leading to order.
Changes that lead to order are the essence of life. If we manage to ride the wave of changes directed towards order, it fills us with life force and brings harmony.
So, balance in life can be found by combining the softness of water for the long term, and the passion of fire over short distances. Choosing the right direction, even with small but steady steps, accelerating at the necessary moment, without burning out, can achieve any goals. Be water, my friend (c).