Shannon Lee

Shows

Episodes

  1. Flowing with Kristi Yamaguchi

    05/29/2025

    Flowing with Kristi Yamaguchi

    This week on the special edition Bruce Lee Foundation takeover of the Bruce Lee Podcast for the month of May, Shannon is honored to welcome Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi to the show. Everyone knows Kristi as a champion on the ice, but in her years since winning gold she has also become a devoted author, philanthropist, and lifelong advocate for youth literacy. Born in California to Japanese-American parents, Kristi's mother was born in a WWII internment camp while her grandfather served as a U.S. Army lieutenant. Kristi's journey reflects strength across generations and  is one of legacy and service. Kristi shares how a treasured Dorothy Hamill doll ignited her early passion for skating, and what it felt like to meet her idol moments before the biggest performance of her life. She also reflects on her touring years with Stars On Ice. Kristi opens up about the values her parents instilled in her around service and gratitude—and how those principles ultimately led her to found Kristi Yamaguchi's Always Dream, a nonprofit dedicated to early literacy and family engagement. Through her foundation, Kristi is helping ensure that children in underserved communities not only have access to high-quality books, but also the support needed to build a lifelong love of reading. Finally, Kristi opens up about a new passion she's been engaged in, and it's VERY Bruce Lee of her! Join Shannon and get to know how Kristi is continuing to shape an inspiring legacy that continues across generations! Show notes and more episodes at Brucelee.com/Podcast  Connect with Kristi…. Website:  www.alwaysdream.org Instagram: @kristiyamaguchi | @alwaysdream Facebook: Kristi Yamaguchi | Kristi Yamaguchi's Always Dream X: @kristiyamaguchi

    50 min
  2. Originate and Innovate

    08/11/2016

    Originate and Innovate

    How did Bruce Lee interpret the ideas of Originating and Innovating? This week we discuss Bruce's unique take on these ideas. His definition of these words have nothing to do with the buzzwords of business. Originating is the process of self-actualizing and becoming your true self and innovating is what gets created in the world when you are connected to your authentic energy. "We tend to have more faith in what we imitate than what we originate. We feel we cannot derive a sense of absolute certitude from anything which has its root in us. The most poignant sense of insecurity comes from standing alone and we are not alone when we imitate." Most of us are seeking validation by imitating the path or success of others even if it's against our true nature. But our mission in life should be to originate by letting our true inner light shine through. #AAHA (Awesome Asians and Hapas) This week's shoutout goes to pioneering comedian, actress, singer and activist Margaret Cho. Margaret was the first Asian American lead actress on a network TV show (All-American Girl, 1994) and paved the road for a generation of Asian comedians and actresses. We want to acknowledge Margaret for being brave enough to be her unique self and resist cultural pressures to be a quiet, obedient, demure and powerless Asian woman. Thank you for shining your true inner light. #BruceLeeMoment (Bruce Lee's philosophy in action IRL) This week's #BruceLeeMoment comes from Ian Khouv of London, England who wrote in to share his story. Hi Shannon, Just got done listening to the first episode of your new podcast and can't wait for tomorrow's commute to hear the next one! I can hear the passion, enthusiasm, and fun that shines through. Your father Bruce and your brother Brandon have been lifelong inspirations to me. At first, it was mainly through the 'kick-ass Kung Fu' tapes that my own Dad let me watch but as I grew older, it was indeed the philosophy of Bruce that continues to inspire me to this day. As a Chinese boy growing up in London, England, Bruce showed me that an Asian man could be anything he wanted to be, including the real life superhero that Bruce was. This is a lesson that I will be passing on to my son (also called Brandon). My #bruceleemoment actually is several small moments scattered through time. I've always found that being a 'Bruce Lee fan' was a way to cut through differences between people and has always been a common thread that I can use to unite people. I've used 'being a Bruce Lee fan' to break up arguments; stop from being bullied when I was young; and to start conversations with people around the topic of being Chinese. Today this #bruceleemoment transpires in my life mainly from what Bruce said on the interview on Pierre Burton's show: "You know what I want to think of myself? As a human being. Because, I mean, and I don't wanna sound like 'as Confucius says' but under the sky, under the heaven, man, there is but one family. It just so happens, man, that people are different." I currently work for a secular human rights charity and no truer words have been spoken with regards to equality than what your father spoke. Bruce Lee still plays an active role influencing my day-to-day. I've recently enrolled in a Philosophy degree partly due to your father's writings. I feel like Bruce's philosophy is truly accessible to the common man and can be applied so readily to everyday life. Philosophy can be a daunting subject to dip your toes into when the writings of Hegel, Wittgenstein, and Nietszche loom but Bruce is able to encapsulate in an aphorism what many take chapters to illustrate. Apologies for the long email. The podcast just inspired me to reach out to you and to let you know the impact Bruce had on me and continues to do so. Keep up the good work! Kindest regards, Ian Share your #AAHA and #BruceLeeMoment recommendations with us via social media @BruceLee or email us at hello@brucelee.com

    37 min
  3. Flowing with Judy Joo

    05/01/2025

    Flowing with Judy Joo

    This week's guest on this special edition Bruce Lee Foundation takeover of the Bruce Lee Podcast for AANHPI and Mental Health Awareness month is chef and entrepreneur Judy Joo! Judy Joo is a Korean-American chef, author, and TV personality whose path to culinary success took a sharp left turn from Wall Street to the world's finest kitchens. From an engineering degree at Columbia to becoming the only female Iron Chef UK, Judy has built a career rooted in bold decisions, fearless creativity, and a deep love for the flavors of her heritage. Shannon kicks off this May season celebrating her friend Judy's powerful story of reinvention and perseverance. Together they talk about the importance of work ethic, kindness, celebrating one's culture, mentorship of the next generation, and following your heart as Judy prepares to launch her newest cookbook, K-Quick: Korean Food in 30 Minutes or Less (available May 6, 2025). And listen in as Shannon reveals a bucket list wish of her own around food! Make sure to catch Judy doing her thing right now as a judge on the new Food Network show House of Knives or visit one of her wildly popular restaurants Seoul Bird to get down with some Korean fried chicken at several locations and stadiums around the world. Or maybe you need to follow Judy to discover what disco fries are! Whatever the case, sit back and enjoy this conversation with the inspiring Judy Joo as we celebrate the importance of representation and wellbeing this May on the Bruce Lee Podcast BLF edition! Show notes and more episodes at Brucelee.com/Podcast  Connect with Judy…. Get Judy's new book:  K-Quick: Korean Food in 30 Minutes or Less  – Available: May 6, 2025. See Judy on Food Network's House of Knives Website: https://www.judyjoo.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judyjoochef/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JudyJooChef/ X: https://twitter.com/judyjoochef

    1h 20m
  4. Flowing with The Twinjas and Austin Liu

    05/08/2025

    Flowing with The Twinjas and Austin Liu

    This week's guests on the special edition Bruce Lee Foundation takeover of the Bruce Lee Podcast for the month of May are The Twinjas—Ollie and Jonny Ho—and professional MMA fighter, stunt performer, and coach Austin Liu. Shannon has known Ollie and Jonny Ho, known as The Twinjas, their whole lives. Their father, Steven Ho (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Conan O'Brien), has been a previous guest on the podcast and is a longtime friend. Identical twins and martial arts prodigies, the boys are making waves across entertainment, athletics, and fashion.  They've trained since the age of four and have competed across multiple martial disciplines including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, Muay Thai, and more. Their infectious energy and talent have earned them roles on a number of series, and they are regular contributors to the official Bruce Lee social media accounts. Joining them is professional fighter, stunt performer and coach, Austin Liu. Austin is also one of the martial arts instructors for both the Camp Bruce Lee and Warrior Academy programs at the BLF,  where he shares his passion for working with youth by bringing Bruce's philosophies of personal growth and confidence to the next generation. Join Shannon as they discuss how all three guests first found martial arts, how Bruce Lee's legacy has influenced their journeys, and what it means to grow into your power—both physically and mentally. Hear directly from two youths as they drop some real gems about how their lives have been positively affected and enriched by training in martial arts. Scroll down for more information about all our guests and listen to today's episode as all of them express how they embody Bruce Lee's spirit of self-actualization, adaptability, and service!  Show notes and more episodes at Brucelee.com/Podcast  Connect with Ollie and Jonny Ho aka The Twinjas... Instagram: @twinjas_official YouTube: @twinjasofficial  Threads: @twinjas_official Connect with Austin Liu.... Instagram: @liudynasty TikTok: @liudynasty X: @liudynastymma YouTube: @liudynasty

    42 min
  5. The Mind is a Fertile Garden

    05/18/2017

    The Mind is a Fertile Garden

    "The mind is a fertile garden – it will grow anything you wish to plant – beautiful flowers or weeds. And it is with successful, healthy thoughts or negative ones that will, like weeds, strangle and crowd the others. Do not allow negative thoughts to enter your mind, for they are the weeds that strangle confidence." Bruce Lee had a really strong practice of planting seeds of beautiful flowers in the fertile mind. Often we have people come into the office to look through Bruce's journals and they wonder where his writings on his doubts and struggles are, and Shannon tells them that these don't exist. Bruce had a regimented practice of keeping his mind on the things that he wanted instead of the things he didn't. Bruce would turn anything that did not feel like success into a learning moment, converting it into something that would lead towards success. He would keep focused on the things that he wanted saying: "You will never get anymore out of life that you expect." Optimism takes effort, it is a practice, especially in the face of difficulties. "If you think a thing is impossible, you'll make it impossible. Pessimism blunts the tools you need to succeed." If you're constantly worrying about all the possible bad scenarios, it takes you out of the moment. These "what if" scenarios might never happen, but they can distract and worry us. "Suffering is mostly self-manufactured." "Suffering itself does less to afflict the senses than the anticipation of suffering." The mind is neutral but it will grow anything you plant, including negative or positive thoughts. "One who is possessed by worry not only lacks the poise to solve his own problems, but by his nervousness and irritability creates additional problems for himself and those around him." Every time we retell our problem stories to others, we are putting that negativity on that person too. "Defeat is a state of mind; no one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as a reality." "Every man is what he is because of the dominating thoughts which he permits to occupy his mind." Take Action: Become aware of your negative thoughts. Know what they are, think about any place in your life where you are struggling. Take anything you are having negative thoughts about and make a list on a piece of paper. Then on the other side of the paper take the time to write the negative thoughts as positive ones. Example: Change "I don't have enough money" to "I am in the process of finding a way to make more money." You can return to this list to affirm what you want. #AAHA This week our #AAHA shout-out goes to Chinese American Steven Ho, martial artist, stunt coordinator, stuntman, director, writer, co-founder of interior design firm, and member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. He has followed his passions with a positive attitude, and he came to prominence in martial arts as one of the first martial arts tricksters in open martial art competitions. He is well regarded for his stunt work as Donatello in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He and his wife founded Plush home, a successful interior and furniture design firm. Steven, we admire your positive, Bruce-like energy, and we want to say you're awesome! #BruceLeeMoment This week we our moment is from listener Anthony S.: "I've recently graduated college at the untraditional age of 28 and sometimes it's difficult to stay motivated, often feeling like "my time is running out" I have many ambitions and I only seem to get to the "dream phase" of what my life could be. These messages you share give me hope in a way to say to myself "it's never too late," and I am grateful for that…I firmly believe if I engrain or instill your father's message over and over my subconscious will take over and I will follow my own path to happiness and peace of mind." Share your #AAHAs, #BruceLeeMoments, and #TakeAction progress with us at hello@brucelee.com Find the full version of our show notes at BruceLee.com/podcast

    46 min
  6. Flowing with Jo Koy

    12/19/2024

    Flowing with Jo Koy

    This week on the Bruce Lee Podcast, Shannon sits down with the hilarious and unstoppable Jo Koy! Known as one of today's premiere stand-up comedians, Jo's journey from performing in a Las Vegas coffee house to selling out arenas around the globe is nothing short of inspiring. Shannon was lucky enough to get to see him perform a sold out show at the Forum this year, and Jo Koy made Shannon laugh til her sides hurt and she couldn't breathe.  Jo's comedy draws from his colorful family and unique life experiences and resonates with audiences worldwide. Whether it's breaking records in venues like Madison Square Garden or being honored with his own "Jo Koy Day" in Honolulu, Jo's rise to stardom is a testament to his talent, perseverance, and relatability. In this episode, Shannon explores Jo's journey, from his roots in comedy to his ventures in film, television, and writing. Jo opens up about the challenges and triumphs of breaking into the entertainment industry, his connection to his Filipino heritage, and what fuels his creative process. Get ready for a heartfelt and hilarious conversation that's as inspiring as it is entertaining. Jo's energy, humor, and unstoppable drive are sure to leave you smiling and motivated! Show notes and more episodes on brucelee.com/podcast  Connect with Jo Koy… Website: http://jokoy.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/Jokoy   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jokoy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jokoy   TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jokoy

    1h 1m
  7. The Six Diseases

    05/25/2017

    The Six Diseases

    The six diseases of the mind are obstacles that you will confront on your path to wholeness and fluidity. The Six Diseases: The desire for victory The desire to resort to technical cunning The desire to display all that has been learned The desire to awe the enemy The desire to play the passive role The desire to get rid of whatever disease one is affected by All of these diseases occur when we seek outside validation. The desire for victory is the desire to win at all costs, usually at the cost of someone else. Wanting to win is not a bad thing, but when it overtakes you and blinds you to everything else is when it becomes a problem. It becomes not about the victory itself, but about coveting and becoming attached to that outcome. The desire to resort to technical cunning is the desire to outsmart, to be overly clever, to the exclusion of other tools of success. This is being showy, flamboyant and attached to form. The desire to display all that has been learned this is the desire to appear super knowledgeable and "wow" people with your knowledge. Essentially, this is a desire to be a know-it-all and be better than everyone else in the room. This creates no space for anyone else's opinion. The desire to awe the enemy this is the desire to have your enemy to look at you with fear and wonder. This is an intimidation through show of force. The desire to play the passive role this is the desire to be unaccountable or to be the martyr. This is a desire to appear easy going, but it can be used as a weapon of guilt. The desire to get rid of whatever disease one is affected by. It is good to want to get rid of your disease, but you don't get rid of it by denying the disease, you get rid of it by being with it. By integrating it you see that you are participating in this disease; the desire to get rid of the disease is a fantasy of being perfect without working through it. "Any technique, however worthy and desirable, becomes a disease when the mind is obsessed with it." Desire can quickly lead to obsession and can keep away from your real life. "The deluded mind is the mind affectively burdened by intellect. Thus, it cannot move without stopping and reflecting on itself. This obstructs its native fluidity." "We should not seek knowledge, but discover the cause of our ignorance." Take Action: Any tool becomes a problem if you rely too much on it. How much do you rely on outside validation? What changes are you resisting? Are your moods based on outside validation? Create a list of the times where you experienced each of the Six Diseases. #AAHA This week our #AAHA shout out goes to Chinese contemporary classical composer, Tan Dun. He's known for doing the scores for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, " and "Hero" and composing music for the 2008 Beijing Olympics medal ceremonies. A lot Dun's music incorporates organic materials such as paper, water, and stone and is often inspired by traditional Chinese theatrical and ritual performance. Tan Dun won an Academy Award for his score of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." Dun continues to create audio-visual masterpieces, experimenting with theater, film, and opera. Tan Dun, thank you for your work and we think you're awesome. #BruceLeeMoment This week our moment comes from listener Tony P.: "For Christmas several years ago, my wife bought me The Artist of Life. I could not put it down. For someone who could not finish even a short book before, I completed this book in record time. I also began to love Bruce for the philosophy and wisdom that he had. I have worked on putting his passion and commitment to excellence to work in all areas of my life. I now pick a couple of things I want to work on and I put my all into it. As Bruce would say, "I make mind up to do and I am going to do it, man!" Share your #AAHAs, #BruceLeeMoments, and #TakeAction progress with us at hello@brucelee.com Read full version of our show notes at BruceLee.com/podcast

    45 min
  8. Honestly Express Yourself

    08/04/2016

    Honestly Express Yourself

    "Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself. Do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate him." This week's show covers Bruce Lee's thoughts on self actualization vs. "self-image" actualization. He did not look to imitate others, he was committed to going deeply within himself to find the truth about his own unique essence and how to express it honestly in the world. He was constantly working on understanding his true self through active observation, questioning, researching and journaling. "Research your own experience. Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless and add what is essentially your own." Shannon talks about the pressures of being Bruce Lee's daughter and how her dad's philosophy ultimately guided her to discover her own true identity. She also shares a great story about how her dad challenged the producers and studio during the filming of Enter the Dragon to ensure his philosophies stayed in the script. #AAHA (Awesome Asians and Hapas) This week's shoutout goes to pioneering martial artist, actress, writer and director Diana Lee Inosanto. Diana is also the daughter of Dan Inosanto, student and dear friend of Bruce Lee. Diana is also the writer, producer and director of the award winning movie "The Sensei." #BruceLeeMoment (Bruce Lee's philosophy in action IRL) We hear a story from one of our team members Evelyn Wilroy about how the "Be water, my friend" episode of the podcast sparked a conversation with her mom about love, loss and the difficulty of expressing true emotions. Share your #AAHA and #BruceLeeMoment recommendations with us via social media@BruceLee or email us at hello@brucelee.com

    45 min
  9. Flowing with Katie Soo

    05/15/2025

    Flowing with Katie Soo

    This week on the special edition Bruce Lee Foundation takeover of the Bruce Lee Podcast for the month of May, Shannon sits down with her friend, Katie Soo. Katie is a creative force, tech innovator, and passionate advocate for underrepresented voices in storytelling. With a career that spans Hulu, HBO Max, DC Universe, Dollar Shave Club, and more, she has been instrumental in building and launching some of the most iconic and disruptive brands in entertainment and media. But what Shannon admires most about Katie is that behind every strategic move is a deep sense of imagination, heart, and a commitment to mentorship and community. In this episode, Katie talks about how it's been to navigate leadership, tech, and Hollywood as an Asian American woman—and why creating access and pathways for others has always been central to her purpose. Katie was also instrumental in helping Warrior to get a 3rd season at Max so you can thank her, Warrior Fans!  Katie shares how she continues to champion bold, creative storytelling as well as her reflections on the power of mentorship and the importance of holding the door open for others. Katie also has a robust creative life beyond the boardroom — from writing her first children's book, to serving on numerous nonprofit boards, to raising her own family to creating inspiring content on social - Katie is the ultimate community connector, creator and friend to those around her! Tune in and listen to see why Katie is such a powerful reminder that true leadership is grounded in personal passion, a desire to lift others up, and boundless imagination. Show notes and more episodes at Brucelee.com/Podcast  Connect with Katie Soo…. Website:  www.katiesoo.com  Instagram: @katie_soo

    1 hr
  10. Affirmations Part 2: Emotions, Reason, and Conscience

    10/27/2016

    Affirmations Part 2: Emotions, Reason, and Conscience

    This week we continue our discussion of Bruce Lee's Affirmations with three more concepts: Emotions, Reason, and Conscience. Even though we are discussing each affirmation individually, Bruce Lee used all 7 together to help achieve wellbeing. 4th Affirmation: Emotions "Realizing that my emotions are both positive and negative, I will form daily habits which will encourage the development of the positive emotions and aid me in converting the negative emotions into some form of useful action." 5th Affirmation: Reason "Recognizing that my positive and negative emotions may be dangerous if they are not guided to desirable ends, I will submit all my desires, aims, and purposes to my faculty of reason, and I will be guided by it in giving expression to these." 6th Affirmation: Conscience "Recognizing that my emotions often err in their over-enthusiasm, and my faculty of reason often is without the warmth of feeling that is necessary to enable me to combine justice with mercy in my judgments, I will encourage my conscience to guide me as to what is right and wrong, but I will never set aside the verdict it renders, no matter what may be the cost of carrying them out." Take Action: Continue to develop your own affirmations, or you can use Bruce Lee's, and write them down and carry them around for you to reference daily. We'd love to hear about your affirmations, please reach out via hello@brucelee.com or via social media @BruceLee. #AAHA (Awesome Asians and Hapas) Our #AAHA shout-out goes out to Ali Wong, badass actress, comedian, and writer. She graduated from UCLA in Asian American studies, but then decided at 23 to try stand-up for the first time. Since then she's acted on several TV shows including "Inside Amy Schumer," "Black Box," and "Are you there, Chelsea?" and became a TV comedy writer best known for the series "Fresh Off the Boat." Ali Wong has continued with stand-up comedy and she's incredible in her most recent comedy special on Netflix called "Baby Cobra." If you haven't seen it already, check it out! We couldn't stop laughing. You keep being you Ali, and stay awesome! #BruceLeeMoment This week we have a lovely email from Robyn R. in Connecticut about how Bruce Lee's "Artist of Life" has helped her deal with her relationship with her estranged son. Read the full version in our show notes at Brucelee.com/podcast Share your #AAHA and #BruceLeeMoment recommendations with us via social media @BruceLee or email us at hello@brucelee.com.

    43 min
  11. Affirmations Part 3: Willpower

    11/03/2016

    Affirmations Part 3: Willpower

    In this week's episode we are finishing up our 3-part discussion of Bruce Lee's affirmations with the 7th and final affirmation: Willpower. Affirmation 7: "Recognizing that the power of will is the supreme court over all other departments of my mind, I will exercise it daily when I need the urge to act for any purpose, and I will form habits designed to bring the power of my will into action at least once daily." Bruce believed that, "A self-willed man has no other aim than his own growth. He values only one thing – the mysterious power in himself, which bids him live and helps him grow. His only living destiny is the silent, ungainsayable law in his own heart, which comfortable habits make it so hard to obey but which to the self-willed man is destiny and godhead." Bruce Lee didn't view willpower as the voice in your head forcing you into action, but more as the energy of mastery over one's soul.Being a self-willed man is about tapping into your heart, your life force, that power within you, that thing that is tugging at you to live, and go for the things that speak to you and speak to your heart. Which in return, serve as a catalyst for action or willpower. "The enemy of development is pain phobia: the unwillingness to do a tiny bit of suffering. As you feel unpleasant you interrupt the continuum of awareness and you become phobic and this weakens the heart of the will." "A self-willed man obeys a different law, the one law I too hold absolutely sacred – the human law in himself, his own individual will." The other 6 affirmations lead up to this final affirmation, willpower, which is the culmination of Memory, Subconscious Mind, Imagination, Reason, Emotion, and Conscience. "[Willpower] the mysterious power in himself which bids him live and helps him grow." Take Action: Identify something in you that makes you feel alive, that is something that you want to grow. Continue to develop your own affirmations, or you can use Bruce Lee's, and write them down and carry them around for you to reference daily. And take some small action steps every day inspired by your affirmations We'd love to hear about your affirmations, please reach out via hello@brucelee.com or via social media @BruceLee. #AAHA (Awesome Asians and Hapas) This week we give an #AAHA shout-out to Eleanor Mariano, a Filipina American physician and military officer. She is the first Filipina American graduate of the Uniformed Services of Medicine to reach the rank of Rear Admiral in the US Navy. She's the first woman to be the director of the White House Medical Unit and she's the first military woman in the history of the US to be appointed as personal physician to the President serving as physician to George Bush Senior, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. Eleanor, we just want to say we think you're awesome and thank you for your service! #BruceLeeMoment This week we have a #BruceLeeMoment from Russ Grant: As a 55-yr-old English male, I have never felt the need to email best wishes to any company. But I send my heartfelt best wishes in your endeavors to take the Bruce Lee philosophy to a wider audience. I grew up on Bruce Lee films, and there's not a man in the world who wouldn't want the skills he had. All the best for the future, Russ Grant Thank you for your best wishes Russ, we really appreciate it! Share your #AAHA and #BruceLeeMoment recommendations with us via social media @BruceLee or email us at hello@brucelee.com

    39 min
  12. Affirmations Part 1: Memory, Subconscious Mind, Imagination

    10/20/2016

    Affirmations Part 1: Memory, Subconscious Mind, Imagination

    This week we discuss Bruce Lee's affirmations. These are 7 ideas he wrote on small note cards and carried with him always: Memory, Subconscious Mind, Imagination, Reason, Emotion, Conscience and Will Power. These 7 ideas are part of a whole system of well being and self-cultivation Bruce developed. And they work together as a harmonious ecosystem. Today we discuss the first three ideas: Memory, Subconscious Mind, and Imagination. 1st Affirmation: 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 recall to mind frequently." Bruce Lee on memory: "Not memory for memory's sake, not accumulation of knowledge, but synthesis and application." 2nd Affirmation: Subconscious Mind "Reorganizing the influence of my subconscious mind over my power of will, I shall take care to submit to it a clear and definite picture of my major purpose in life and all minor purposes leading to my major purpose and I shall keep this picture constantly before my subconscious mind by repeating it daily." 3rd Affirmation: Imagination "Recognizing the need for sound plans and ideas for the attainment of my desires. I will develop my imagination by calling upon it daily for help in the formation of my plans." "Creative intuition opens the wellsprings within man, activates the inner light, and is free and limitless." Take Action: Create your own affirmations and write them down on a 3x5 card. They can be your own ideas or quotes you find inspiring. Carry them around with you for a week or a month and read them out loud to yourself each day. We would love to hear about your affirmations! Email us at hello@brucelee.com or share via social media @BruceLee. #AAHA (Awesome Asians and Hapas) This week we want to give a shout out to Jimmy Chin, a professional climber, mountaineer, skier, photographer, and filmmaker. For a long time he was with the Northface team, taking photos and having awe-inspiring adventures. His documentary film Meru follows the harrowing first ascent of the "Shark's Fin" route on Meru Peak in the Indian Himalayas. Jimmy follows his true heart's mission and we think that's awesome! #BruceLeeMoment This week our BruceLeeMoment comes from Germany, Martin Priebe: Dear Shannon, Dear BruceLee.com team, My name is Martin and I live in Germany. I just want to share my #BruceLeeMoment with you (as you mentioned in your podcast) I´m a huge fan of bruce lee. Not only the films, I like the philosophy as well. And I´m working as a software developer and I´m doing wing chun since a while. So what happened was that I was reading "Tao of JKD" and working for my job simultaneously. Then I was stunned for a few seconds. I recognized that JKD and Bruce Lee´s philosophy matched exactly the style of agile software developing. The next days Í was thinking about it. This idea was like a hammer that was banging my head. And few weeks ago I did a presentation about "Was Bruce Lee the first agile coach? And what can we learn about it for our daily business" on a convention for software development. "Be water, my friend", "sophisticated style stripped to it´s essentials", all the wing chun principles, the way he developed his style, "individuals more important than any style." And what can I say... It was great. It was a lot of fun. And it was not easy to teach nerds :) But I had to do it. Every time I was thinking "oh, should I do that" I remembered the words "Expressing yourself honestly". I want so say thank you. Thanks for the power and energy! Thanks for your words too and keep on going. You are doing a great job! Mit freundlichen Grüßen/best regards, Martin Share your #AAHA and #BruceLeeMoment recommendations with us via social media @BruceLee or email us at hello@brucelee.com

    44 min
  13. Goals, Mistakes, Success

    08/18/2016

    Goals, Mistakes, Success

    This week we talk about how Bruce Lee documented his goals, valued mistakes and created a personal definition of success. A dedicated journal writer, Lee consistently wrote down his big and small goals. He believed that all goals did not have to be achieved, they were a way to orient yourself towards a big dream with meaning. They were also an opportunity to make mistakes along the way, learn and adapt as necessary—being in flow, using no way as way. He wrote this big goal for himself when he was 28 years old: My Definite Chief Aim I, Bruce Lee, will be the first highest paid Oriental super star in the United States. In return I will give the most exciting performances and render the best of quality in the capacity of an actor. Starting 1970 I will achieve world fame and from then onward till the end of 1980 I will have in my possession $10,000,000. I will live the way I please and achieve inner harmony and happiness. Bruce Lee Jan. 1969 Bruce Lee also valued mistakes and defeat. To him, "defeat is nothing but education. Nothing but the first step to figuring out something better." Mistakes were learning moments. He also said "success means doing something sincerely and whole-heartedly." It was a way of being a human being, not a destination or outcome. The success is in the doing and doing it with your whole heart. Action step for this week: try to write your own Definite Chief Aim. #AAHA (Awesome Asians and Hapas) This week's shoutout goes to chef and owner of n/naka Niki Nakayama. Niki was born into a restaurant family and tried her hand at the family business with a normal popular sushi restaurant. But her artist's heart longed for something more connected to her soul. She traveled throughout Japan for 3 years learning kaiseki style cuisine, a formal presentation of courses that accompany Buddhist tea ceremonies at monasteries. She then transformed this ancient cooking style into a modern interpretation that is uniquely her own. Her journey is beautifully documented in the Netflix series Chef's Table and it's worth a watch. #BruceLeeMoment (Bruce Lee's philosophy in action IRL) This week's #BruceLeeMoment comes from our team member Richard Grewar who runs the Bruce Lee Foundation Richard has struggled with depression for twenty years. On a particularly tough day when he felt like isolating, shutting down and giving up, this quote from Bruce Lee helped him zoom out and notice the world around him along with some frolicking dolphins: "Its like a finger pointing away to the moon. Don't concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory." Share your #AAHA and #BruceLeeMoment recommendations with us via social media @BruceLee or email us at hello@brucelee.com.

    45 min
  14. Someone Real

    05/23/2018

    Someone Real

    "Somehow, one day, you will hear, "Hey, now that is quality. That is someone REAL." I would like that." We are still drawn to Bruce Lee and his performances are so magnetizing because there is authenticity and energy emanating from him. It was Bruce's ultimate goal that he be known for quality and realness. In order to achieve realness Bruce had to really know himself and not get distracted by performing a fake image or shortcuts in life. It was a big part of Bruce's life work to stay in the realness of himself. It is exhausting to constantly project a false image of yourself. "In life, what can you ask for but to be real; to fulfill your potential instead of wasting energy on actualizing your dissipating image, which is not real and expends your vital energy." In our modern society, social media has made a mass market of projecting an image of our lives. People work to project a perfect image of their lives through their social media even if their reality is different from that. With social media there is a cultural expectation that not only do you need it to create your self-image, but that you don't exist without it. Social media and projecting a curated image of yourself can be intoxicating. Image creation can become addicting when that image receives positive accolades from society. When you expend energy towards image creation you are putting energy towards maintaining an image that is not real, but is a performance or a disguise. We live in a world where people can reach you at any time and there is often no boundary between life and work. It can be hard to take a rest when you are constantly available, but if you take time to properly rest yourself then you will have more energy to devote to your work and life. The cultivation and proper use of your vital energy is an important Bruce Lee lesson. We are not machines, we are real people, and because we are real we need rest and nourishment as a regular part of our daily lives. "The truth is that life is an ever-going process, ever-renewing and it is just meant to be lived, but not lived for." If you are living only for external things it will deplete your energy and you are not truly living life. "To be what I term a "quality" human being, one has to be transparently real and have the courage to be what he is." It takes a lot of courage to be real and vulnerable. There are some people who are on social media being real and vulnerable and are building a community around that because people gravitate towards realness. Social media is a reflection of our society. People are putting on a performance in their jobs and personal lives, no one wants to be the one who "sticks out." "To be what I term a "quality" human being, one has to be transparently real and have the courage to be what he is. Yet most people are doing just the opposite; they engage in a protective daily routine of security (a kind of thumb-sucking)." It can feel safe and comfortable to hide behind a performance. However, you can also feel safe and comfortable in yourself when you know who you are. When you move through the world with realness and authenticity then you know your interactions and relationships are real. "Someone Real has an urge to be honest, to express themselves honestly. You are what you are and self-honesty occupies a definite and vital part in the ever-growing process to become a "real" human being. Someone Real works their ass off and commits to constant learning and discovering. Someone Real takes responsibility to be what he actually is. Someone Real has an instinctive urge for growth and daily expansion of his/her potential. Someone Real participates in "what is" rather than get caught up in "what should be". Someone Real understands the distinction between self-actualization and self-image actualization." "To be Someone Real means to have a burning enthusiasm with the neutrality to choose to be." "Someone Real takes responsibility for one's actions, good and bad." "Someone Real centers their energy on expanding and broadening their potential or on expressing and relaying a unified energy for their clearest communication. Someone Real is a changing person because he is and always will be learning, discovering and expanding."  "Someone Real demands the absence of prejudice, superstition, and ignorance, and leaves the circus acts to the circus performers." In your search to become Someone Real, ask yourself (substitute your name): "What it boils down to is a sincere and honest revelation about a person called ______________ - his viewpoint, who he is, where he is heading, what he hopes to discover. To do this, a person must stand on their own two feet and find out the cause of their ignorance." We support you on your path to being Someone Real and we'd love to hear about your explorations into becoming Someone Real. Please write to us at hello@brucelee.com or tag us on social media @BruceLee #BruceLeePodcast

    48 min