What Can Bruce Lee's 'Be Like Water' Quote Teach Us About Adaptability in Life? (Learn to Improvise, Adapt and Overcome)

Bruce Lee is one of the many figures I look up to for seeking inspiration and encouragement. He's a pop culture icon who is not only known for his martial artistry and successful filmmaking skills but also for his adherence to a life-changing worldview. He is considered, by Time Magazine, as one of the most influential figures of the century along the lines of Mohammad Ali. 

Even though Bruce Lee is renowned by many for his speed, power, and agility, one of Lee's most famous quotes doesn't have anything to do with physical prowess whatsoever but is reminiscent of the teachings of Laozi (Lao-tzu), who was a Chinese Philosopher known for his emphasis on having inner peace. What I admire from his teachings is the importance of simplicity and detachment from material desires.

Enough chatter! The quote goes as follows:

Empty Your Mind. Be Formless, Shapeless like Water. Now you put water into a cup it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow, or it can crash. Be Water, My Friend.

It's a mind-bending quote, for sure. But what does Lee mean by it, and how can it teach you and me a lesson in Adaptability when facing the ever-changing life?

A Lesson in Adaptability

What does Lee mean by 'Be Like Water'? 

To fully grasp what Bruce Lee meant when he said, "Be like Water," we have to recognize why he chose the metaphor for water in the first place.

Properties of Water

Water is the symbol of Adaptability. Why so, you ask?

It's because water is flexible and lacks inherent shape or form. Its shape and form can conform to the container it's held in. 

Water can move around any obstacle thrown in front of it, can cut through rock, and carve out rivers. It can bear extreme levels of heat and cold by changing its shape to solid, liquid, or gas. Water is like a shape-shifting superhero- from rivers and streams to oceans and ice cubes in your fridge. It's everywhere and takes on whatever form it requires.

Being like Water

To be like water is to be versatile. To be like water is to change yourself per what is required. To be like water is to replace a rigid mindset with a flexible one. To be like water is to have a malleable mind, that bends but doesn't break. 

Being like water is changing yourself to fit the situation instead of changing the situation to fit yourself. 

It's about being flexible in both mind and body. To be flexible in both thinking and practice.

But why can't you be rigid, strong, and resilient like a rock instead of taking a more 'watery' and versatile approach to life? Well, in the words of Laozi (Lao-tzu) himself:

Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong.

The whole idea is to define your actions and your mentality as per the circumstances, and if the circumstances change, so should your actions and your outlook on the situation. 

Learn to Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome to Be like Water

Improvise. Adapt. Overcome. 

This phrase which started as a US Marine Slogan is currently the catchphrase of Self-Improvement Enthusiasts and has become a popular Internet meme. But don't mistake it as just a catchy phrase- it can change your life if you adopt it in your daily routine. That is with a proper mindset. 

However, a question requires addressing. 

What does the phrase 'Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome' mean?

Improvise

The term 'Improvise' means to perform an action or a set of actions in the spur of the moment without any prior preparation. 

Adapt

The term 'Adapt' is modifying oneself to become suitable to the requirements and conditions.

Overcome

'Overcome' means to get the better of the situation in a struggle or conflict.

In the words of Roger Crawford, the idea of 'Improvise, Adapt and Overcome' to succeed is as follows:

To succeed despite the challenges, we must plan, solve, recalculate, refocus, and think again. Then reinvent your plan, redirect your plan, and think again.

Why Adaptability is Necessary In the Ever-Changing, Unforeseeable World

The world is an ever-changing, ever-evolving place. The answer to "What's about to come" is uncertain, unforeseeable, and unknown.

In the words of the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus, Life is like a flowing river. It is continuously in a state of change. No one ever steps into the same river twice.

Change is inevitable.

According to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the Entropy of a system always increases, meaning every system is susceptible to an unavoidable change.

The world you know today is not the same as the world that our ancestors inhabited, and it probably might not be similar to the world that our successors will thrive upon. 

The pace of change is getting faster with each passing day, and the future is becoming more and more unpredictable. The churn of events is becoming more turbulent and uncertain. You may be preparing for a particular outcome, but chances are, that outcome won't be a reality in the future. For context, look at how the computer has progressed over the past few decades. What was once meant to be a tool for faster calculations has now become an integral part of our day-to-day lives.

In this ever-changing world, it is necessary to be adaptive. It is a worthy factor that has been and will dictate the survival of the human race. Only those will survive who become like water in a river. And even though the flow of that river is pacing up and the stream is becoming thinner and thinner. Those people will adapt to these unexpected challenges and bear the test of time.

Not only is adaptability crucial in a broader context, but its importance can be acknowledged, also on a personal level. There are uncountable benefits to being adaptable. Let me give you an example. Let's say you're giving a speech in front of a large audience, and you forget your script. If you're adaptable, you'll be able to adjust quickly to the situation and come up with something on the fly. You may not be able to deliver your speech as planned, but you'll still be able to get your message across the board clearly and effectively. On the other hand, if you're not adaptable and you panic when you forget your script, you'll likely stumble and struggle to regain your footing, leading to an awkward and unprofessional presentation, which may even damage your credibility with the audience. 

Being adaptable makes you think out of the box and find a way to succeed no matter how many changes and challenges come your way. You'll always find creative ways to triumph over obstacles or even avoid those problems beforehand. 

You get my point. Right? 

Adaptability is a crucial accessory you need in the backpack of life.

My Final Thoughts

In short, Adaptability has always been a valuable skill, but in today's fast-paced and rapidly changing world, it's more important than ever before.

Bruce Lee's famous "Be Like Water" quote impeccably embodies the essence of adaptability. Just as water can take on any shape or form, adaptable individuals can adjust to different circumstances and find solutions no matter what. 

You should be open-minded, flexible, and willing to learn new things. Moreover, you should embrace the mindset of improvising, adapting, and overcoming. Meaning being able to step outside your comfort zone and seek out new experiences and challenges.

So the next time you're at odds with a nerve-racking situation, remember Bruce Lee's advice: "Be water, my friend." With this mindset, there's nothing you can't achieve.

Do you think adaptability is a valuable skill to have? Do you agree with Bruce Lee's sentiments? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Good luck! And Bon Voyage.