Be Water

Adaptive. Flexible.

… Artisans are definitively practical, that is adaptive, resilient, flexible, hence unconventional and unorthodox, both in the sense of being spontaneously so inclined, and in the sense of acting in ways that only they can appreciate if not understand, given their insistent and persistent adaptive agenda. They do this by adapting their ways of using words and tools to the necessities of the moment that come about when some tactical maneuver goes awry. [Personology page 191]

Bruce Lee, Crafter Artisan, expected and demanded more of himself than arguably any other human being in recent history. He had an unparalleled drivenness to develop his physical and mental capabilities, which resulted in the performance of super-human feats that have yet to be equaled to this day.

The nature of Crafters is most clearly seen in their masterful operation of tools, equipment, machines, and instruments of all kinds. Most us use tools in some capacity, of course, but Crafters (as much as ten percent of the population) are the true masters of tool work, with an innate ability to command tools and to become expert at all the crafts requiring tool skills. Even from an early age they are drawn to tools as if to a magnet — tools fall into their hands demanding use, and they must work with them. [Please Understand Me II]

A legend, Bruce Lee is one of the sixteen leaders that we will profile in our forthcoming book: Please Understand Me for Different Leaders.

Quote1.pngArt is the expression of the self.Quote2.png — Bruce Lee

9 thoughts on “Be Water”

  1. I love this! How inspirational it is to listen to someone speak with such wisdom and conviction! I remember Bruce Lee’s words forever, I suspect, and I shall work on being “water, my friend.” Amazing.

  2. Lee’s description of water reflects not only his Artisan temperament but also his Chinese heritage. Like him, Taoist sages have long been fascinated by the paradox of water’s invincible suppleness. Like him, Sun Tzu describes the strength and power of being “formless” in The Art of War.

  3. The second video isn’t real; as much as I wish it was, and as much respect as I have for Bruce Lee, this video is not real. Sorry.

    1. Yes I have heard that it possibly wasn’t real. Don’t know. Bruce Lee was an incredible athlete, with or without the video.

      1. The video is not Bruce Lee and though I am an ISTP and great admirer of him since I was a child, he is not an ISTP. He was an actor, dancer, performer, etc. and was much more of an extrovert than an introvert. I’ve watched all his films, read many of his books, biographies, watched many documentaries, am friends with students of his students, etc. and he is most likely an ESTP rather than an ISTP.

      2. Though I am an ISTP and a great admirer of Bruce Lee since I was a child, he is not an ISTP. He was an actor, dancer, performer, etc. and was much more of an extrovert than an introvert. I’ve watched all his films, read many of his books, biographies, watched many documentaries, am friends with students of his students, etc. and he is most likely an ESTP rather than an ISTP.

      1. You might think of him as “Myersian” ESTP, “Extroverted” — whatever that means. I studied Bruce Lee extensively, and he fits the Crafter Artisan very well. Consider Clint Eastwood, actor, film director – also a Crafter Artisan. Bruce also created and developed his own martial art, Promoters typically “don’t do the work themselves” but like to promote schemes. We regard the “Expressive”/”Attentive” the least important distinction in Keirsey Temperament. Nevertheless, Bruce would say “whatever floats your boat.” I will stick to Crafter Artisan.

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