#99 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