7 Ways Jeet Kune Do Changed My Life

As a small boy growing up in a middle-class neighborhood in 1940s Brooklyn, I was always afraid. I had no idea how to defend myself and was terrified of bullies. And I was lucky to graduate from high school without getting into a fight.

In 1965 I moved to California and joined a self-defense club at a university where I was doing research in physics. The techniques taught in this club came from a form of kung fu called “Jeet Kune Do” (JKD) which translates as “the way of the intercepting fist.” JKD is a hybrid fighting system created by the martial artist Bruce Lee. Unlike more traditional forms of combat, Jeet Kune Do incorporates technique from many systems to achieve maximum effect with minimal effort.

Reflecting on my JKD experience, I realized that martial arts training had provided me with lessons that I could apply to all areas of my life. Here are seven that I draw upon every day.

1. React to What is Happening, Not What You Wish Was Happening

When I sparred and lost, I concocted stories to rationalize my defeat: I was tired that morning. My opponent was much stronger and more experienced. The conditions were wrong.

My instructor had seen this all before and told me: “A fight is usually chaotic and unpredictable. You need to defend yourself, no matter how many opponents you face or whatever the situation. This requires that you react in real time to what is actually happening, not what you would like to be happening.”

I thought this was a great insight and I started applying it to other areas of my life. I became aware that I often made excuses about the negative things that had happened to me. I also realized that it took only a few seconds to analyze what had really occurred and what I could have done to prevent it. I began applying this technique in my marriage, as well as with my job and friends. When I did, I was amazed at how much better I performed as well as how few arguments I got into.

2. Resilience Comes from Discipline and Focus

I had never before experienced the discipline and focus that JKD required of me. Every afternoon we did hundreds of kicks and punches. We practiced techniques to block attacks. And we continually sparred with one another. Sometimes I would miss a block and a blow would land. When it did it hurt, and the “old me” wanted to take a break and recover. I realized that if I gave into this impulse, I would short-circuit my progress.

After months of sparring I finally had an epiphany: pain is temporary, but shame and regret can last forever.

This insight was liberating and had a long-term benefit on my life. I was now better able to persevere when things went wrong. Achievement as well as happiness and fulfillment only occur after we have pushed through the pain.

3. If You can Summon up Just a Few Seconds of Courage, You Can Do Anything

Sparring is very much like a game — one played on steroids at high speed with pieces that can hurt you.

In the opening seconds of a match, I tried my best to summon up the courage to feel confident. Slowly, it became easier. These few seconds of courage enabled me to focus on “solving the puzzle of my opponent.” I began to experience the freedom and fluidity of sparring because I was no longer afraid and could concentrate on what I had to do to win.

I realized that many things in my life also required courage: speaking my mind when it can make other people uncomfortable; changing careers when I was unfulfilled; ending relationships that were dragging me down.

Looking back, I realize that my capacity to put aside fear and take a bold step forward have enabled me to overcome whatever roadblocks are set before me.

4. If Your Plan Doesn’t Work, it Doesn’t Mean You Failed

During a sparring session, if I correctly assessed my opponent’s skill and constructed a simple plan that I could easily carry out, things went well. But only sometimes. Often, my plans went awry, and I would lose.

When this happened, our instructor reminded me that “winning is never final and losing is never fatal.”

Throughout my life, I’ve constructed plans and tried to improve them. Some didn’t work. But because of my martial arts experience, I didn’t make the judgment that I had failed. Instead, I took each failure as a learning experience that helped me progress. This freed me from spending my energy regretting those plans that didn’t work and helped me try again until they did work.

5. Be Grateful for and Honor Practices That Have a Long History

Although I practiced JKD as a new form of fighting, I was also aware that the tradition of Chinese and Korean martial arts stretched back thousands of years. Uncounted numbers of practitioners have developed and improved the martial arts and I became grateful to them for keeping the arts alive over the centuries so that I could enjoy their benefits.

I read numerous books about the history of Kung Fu in its various forms. I discovered that the values of honor, discipline, hard work, respect for others, patience and diligence were woven into the fabric of martial arts. Some practitioners even use them for their spiritual development.

I realized that these were exactly the values that I needed to cultivate to live an extraordinary life. Over time I saw the benefits in my marriage and growth in my parenting skills. Over the years, I transmitted these values to my children. These insights also made me realize that I should respect those aspects of my life that had historic roots and long traditions, things such as democracy and religion.

6. Overcoming Your Fear Expands Your Comfort Zone

JKD taught me how to deal with most street fighting situations quickly and effectively. In a few months, my fear of fighting diminished and eventually evaporated entirely. I was learning to take calculated risks and stretch my comfort zone.

A comfort zone is an internal space that keeps stress and risk at bay. It provides a state of mental security.

Because of this newfound capability, I began to think of changing from scientific research to teaching science at the high school level, where I believed that I could make an impact on students. Because I had no experience teaching, it would be a risk. But hadn’t I taken many risks in my self-defense classes? I so I decided to change careers. As a result, I spent decades in a profession that was for me, much more enjoyable an fulfilling.

7. The Self-Confidence You Build in a Martial Arts class Can Spread to Every Area of Your Life

In 1968 my family returned to New York. I became a teacher in an alternative high school. Besides teaching science, I taught self-defense classes. I quickly discovered that my students lacked confidence and experienced the same fears that I had suffered. But as they increased in skill and became comfortable sparring, they learned that they could conquer those fears and build self-confidence.

The boost in confidence that I received during my training has lasted my entire life. I have felt free to try new things, both personally and professionally. I have also explored other areas, such as writing and business. I am now 80 years old. In the 55 years that have passed since I studied JKD in California, I have never used it in a fight. Yet I have deeply enjoyed the benefits derived from my training. They have improved every aspect of my life.

I also still love to watch Bruce Lee movies.