The value of time. — Time means a lot to me because, you see, I, too, am also a learner and am often lost in the joy of forever developing and simplifying. If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.

Fear vs. awareness. — The enemy of development is this 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 — so therapeutically speaking we continue to grow by means of integrating awareness/attention.

Emotions are both positive and negative. — 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.

Pliability is life. — Be pliable. When a man is living, he is soft and pliable; when he is dead, he becomes rigid. Pliability is life; rigidity is death, whether one speaks of man’s body, his mind, or his spirit.

To express in freedom. — To express yourself in freedom, you must die to everything of yesterday. If you follow the classical pattern, you’re not understanding the routines, the traditions; you are not understanding yourself.

The function and duty of a human being. — The function and duty of a human being, a “quality” human being, that is, is the sincere and honest development of potential and self-actualization. One additional comment: the energy from within and the physical strength from your body can guide you toward accomplishing your purpose in life — and to actually act on actualizing your duty to yourself.

To me, I have no other self (not to mention thought) than the oneness of things of which I was aware at that moment.

The sacred journey is taken alone. — Each man must seek out realization himself. No master can give it to him.

The way of yin-yang. — When one wishes to expand, one must first contract. When one wishes to be strong, one must first be weak. When one wishes to take, one must first give. Everything in this world has the alternative of existence and nonexistence (positive and negative).

An intelligent mind is constantly learning. — An intelligent mind is one which is constantly learning, never concluding — styles and patterns have come to conclusion, therefore they [have] ceased to be intelligent. An intelligent mind is an inquiring mind. — An intelligent mind is an INQUIRING mind. It is not satisfied with explanations, with conclusions; nor is it a mind that believes, because belief is again another form of conclusion.

We are capable of much more. — The fact [is] that we live only on such a small percentage of our potential: - You do not allow yourself to be totally yourself - Society does not allow you to be totally yourself.

On the therapeutic benefits of jogging. — Jogging is not only a form of exercise to me, it is also a form of relaxation. It is my own hour every morning when I can be alone with my thoughts.

Character is the form of the soul. — Character is to the soul what outward appearance is to the body. A man’s genuineness and refinement should not reveal themselves directly; they should express themselves only indirectly as an effect from within.

Remove the dirt of preconceived opinion. — Scratch away all the dirt our being has accumulated and reveal reality in its s-ness or in its suchness, or in its nakedness, which corresponds to the Buddhist concept of emptiness.

On past, present, and future. — My friend, do think of the past in terms of those memories of events and accomplishments which were pleasant, rewarding, and satisfying. The present? Well, think of it in terms of challenges and opportunities, and the rewards available for the application of your talents and energies. As for the future, that is a time and a place where every worthy ambition you possess is within your grasp.

A five-step process to formulating ideas - Gather materials. - Masticate the facts. - Relax and drop the whole subject. - Be ready to recognize and welcome the idea when it comes. - Shape and develop your idea into usefulness.

Don’t neglect life by worrying about death. — I don’t know what is the meaning of death, but I am not afraid to die — and I go on, non-stop, going forward [with life]. Even though I, Bruce Lee, may die some day without fulfilling all of my ambitions, I will have no regrets. I did what I wanted to do and what I’ve done, I’ve done with sincerity and to the best of my ability. You can’t expect much more from life.

The spiritual force transcends all. — I feel I have this great creative and spiritual force within me that is greater than faith, greater than ambition, greater than confidence, greater than determination, greater than vision. It is all these combined. My brain becomes magnetized with this dominating force which I hold in my hand.

Simple pleasures. I like light rain. It gives one such a sense of calmness and tranquillity. I enjoy walking in the rain. But most of all, I like books. I read all types of books — fiction and nonfiction.

To live now you must die to yesterday. — To understand and live now, there must be dying to everything of yesterday. Die continually to every newly gained experience—be in a state of choiceless awareness of WHAT IS.

Do not start from a conclusion. — To understand, surely, there must be a state of choiceless awareness in which there is no sense of comparison or condemnation, no waiting for a further development of the thing we are talking about in order to agree or disagree — don’t start from a conclusion above all.

On diet. — Only eat what your body requires, and don’t [become] carried away with foods that don’t benefit you.

Dualism vs. monism. — The dualistic philosophy reigned supreme in Europe, dominating the development of Western science. But with the advent of atomic physics, findings based on demonstrable experiment were seen to negate the dualistic theory, and the trend of thought since then has been back toward the monistic conception of the ancient Taoists.

Self-knowledge involves relationship. — To know oneself is to study oneself in action with another person. Relationship is a process of self-revelation. Relationship is the mirror in which you discover yourself — to be is to be related.

Try not to offend. — I’ll not willingly offend, nor be easily offended.

An idea emotionalized becomes physical. — Any idea that is constantly held in the mind and emotionalized, begins at once to clothe itself in the most convenient and appropriate physical form that is available.

The root of concentration. — Concentration is the ROOT of all the higher abilities in man.

One’s perspective on truth changes with change. — Because I am a changing as well as an ever-growing man, thus what I hold true a couple of months ago might not be the same now.

The necessity for acting on our beliefs. — Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.

The goal of a human being. — The human goal: to actualize oneself.

The law of non-interference with nature. — The law of non-interference with nature is a basic principle of Taoism [stating] that one should be in harmony with, not rebellion against, the fundamental laws of the universe. Preserve yourself by following the natural bends of things and don’t interfere. Remember never to assert your self against nature; never be in frontal opposition to any problems, but to control it by swinging with it.

subconscious mind. — Recognizing 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!

All thought is partial. — All thought is partial, it can never be total. Thought is the response of memory, and memory is always partial, because memory is the result of experience; so thought is the reaction of a mind which is conditioned by experience

The aim of the self-willed man is growth. — 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 to grow. His only living destiny is the silent, unsayable 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.

Being in the Now. — Listen. Can you hear the wind? And can you hear the birds singing? You have to HEAR IT. Empty your mind. You know how water fills a cup? It BECOMES that cup. You have to think about nothing. You have to BECOME nothing.

You are the commander of your mind. — I’ve always been buffeted by circumstances because I thought of myself as a human being [affected by] outside conditioning. Now I realize that I am the power that commands the feeling of my mind and from which circumstances grow.

Maturity vs. maturing. — There is no such word as “maturity.” Rather: maturing. Because when there is a maturity, there is a conclusion and a cessation. That’s “the end.” That’s when the coffin is closed.

Ignorance is blind. — Those who are unaware they are walking in darkness will never seek the light.

On the need to remember. — Remembrance is the only paradise out of which we cannot be driven away. Pleasure is the flower that fades, remembrance is the lasting perfume. Remembrances last longer than present realities; I have preserved blossoms for many years, but never fruits.

To stand on the outside and try to look inside is futile; whatever was there will go away. This also applies to a nebulous thing described as “Happiness.” To try to identify it is like turning on a light to look at darkness. Analyze it, and it is gone.

The individual is more important than the system. — The individual is of first importance, not the system. Remember that man created method and not that method created man, and do not strain yourself in twisting into someone’s preconceived pattern, which unquestionably would be appropriate for him, but not necessarily for you.

Admitting mistakes. — Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.

life is best to be lived — not to be conceptualized. If you have to think, you still do not understand.

On organized religion. — I have no religion whatsoever. I believe that life is a process and that man is a self-made product. The spirit of the individual is determined by his dominating thought habits.

Love and respect. — Without respect, love cannot go long.

The reward of doing. — The doer alone learns.

Shame is fear of humiliation. — Shame is fear of humiliation at one’s inferior status in the estimation of others.

Experiencing is believing. — A fat belly cannot believe that such a thing as hunger exists.

Enjoy yourself. — Remember my friend to enjoy your planning as well as your accomplishment, for life is too short for negative energy.

Four idea principles. — The four idea principles are: - Find a human need, an unsolved problem - Master all of the essentials of the problem - Give a new “twist” to an old principle - Believe in your idea — and act!