Bruce Lee, actor and philosopher: “Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, and add what is uniquely yours”

Lee Jun-fan (1940–1973), better known by his stage name Bruce Lee, was one of the most important figures in martial arts cinema. He also founded Jeet Kune Do, a system that blended traditional Chinese martial arts with a philosophy shaped by his personal experience in self-defense and unarmed combat.

Despite his short life, Lee had an enormous impact across many fields and has often been recognized as a philosophical voice whose reflections and aphorisms remain relevant today.

The most important life lesson according to Bruce Lee

One of Bruce Lee’s most famous quotes, aside from the well-known “Be water, my friend,” is the following: “Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, and add what is uniquely your own.” This teaching appears in Bruce Lee: Wisdom for the Way, a posthumous collection published in 2009 that gathers many of the sayings from the actor and martial artist.

Through this reflection, Lee encouraged people to learn how to separate what truly matters from what does not, while preserving individuality and personal essence. Learning from others is essential for growth and personal evolution, but it is equally important to recognize that not every lesson adds value and that personal judgment must ultimately take precedence. Only in this way can full development be achieved.

Throughout his life, Lee strongly emphasized the importance of self-knowledge, inner exploration, and the rejection of rigid dogma. His main influences combined Taoist ideas, Zen Buddhist thought, and Western philosophy. From this unique perspective, he argued that both life and combat require adapting to circumstances rather than resisting them with rigidity.

For Lee, the learning process could be summarized as absorbing what is useful, discarding what is superficial, and building a personal expression both in martial arts and in everyday life, while avoiding fixed styles and limiting labels. In other words, the martial artist and thinker valued simplicity, efficiency, and honesty with oneself.

Ultimately, the central message of Bruce Lee’s philosophy was that true mastery in any field comes from within: knowing oneself, acting with intention, and living without fear of others’ opinions. Personal freedom, conscious discipline, and direct action were, for him, the pillars of an authentic life. Today, more than half a century after his death, his teachings continue to offer strong practical value for facing life’s challenges.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.