Align

Long time, no actionable insights were shared on this blog. However, here is below what has caught my attention lately. From a newsletter of Liz & Mollie in a chat with Joanna Miller, Lead of Organizational Effectiveness & Coaching at Asana:

“L+M: We talked with you about how to more closely align your life with your values, and you mentioned you often advise people to get “10% more [insert personal value; ex. creative] this week.” Can you share what that means?

J: Your values are a useful filter for orienting yourself when you feel rudderless or are facing a big decision. Some of my values are curiosity, empathy and meaningful connection.

If I feel lost or misaligned, I ask myself, “How could I be 10% more curious this week? Or how can I make my next interaction 10% more meaningful?

Focusing on making my next step 10% more [insert value] helps me move into action more quickly instead of falling into the perfectionist’s pitfall of overthinking.”

From a print about Bruce Lee’s journey and philosophy at the terrific exhibit ‘Arts of fighting in Asia’ in the Quai Branly Museum in Paris, France. As an ex martial artist, I went to this exhibit this weekend and pulled that quote with Google Lens:

“Instead, he opened a small Martial Arts School in Seattle-the Jung Fan Kung-fu Institute. There he met Linda Emery and married her later that same year.

Despite his youthful success in Chinese films, his hopes for an American movie career soon faded. “It was difficult for me to start my career in America,” he said “since roles for Chinese were rare and those that were avail able always seemed to go to Japanese.”

So Bruce turned his full attention to Kung-fu, moving his school to Oakland and later to Los Angeles His school taught a more dramatic and spectacular form of Kung-fu, his own Jeet Kune Do. Even in this, he made enemies. He simply did not believe in the strict rituals and movements that made up most forms of the Martial Arts. Instead he took the best from each form, explaining: “Jeet means to stalk or to intercept, Kune means fist or style, and Do means the way or the ultimate reality. In other words “the way of the intercepting fist.” The purpose of Martial Arts is not form. The ultimate goal is to stop your opponent fast and efficiently. This is why teach mostly offensive moves.”

[Bruce] Lee denounced any technique that stressed form rather than action. He also denounced their accompanying rating systems. “I don’t have any belt whatsoever,” he stated. “That is just a certificate. Unless you can really do it, that belt doesn’t mean anything.

As his attitudes spread, so did his reputation as a teacher. Among those attracted to his school were James Coburn, Steve McQueen, Lee Marvin and James Garner. Their influence, plus his “discovery” at an international karate tournament at Long Beach in 1964, led to his first screen role in America as Kato in the television series “The Green Hornet” in 1966

In the early 1960’s the word karate was already becoming familiar to the American public but the groin kicks and the eye gouges used to subdue the attackers weren’t ready to be accepted. The movies, however, were very much impressed by the flashy. action. The turnabout came in 1962, when James Bond used a superficial form of karate in “Dr. No.” The final acceptance came in 1966 when Bruce Lee played Kato and became the first completely authentic practitioner of Kung-fu to demonstrate incredible combat techniques that had never been seen before by the public.

In “The Green Hornet” Lee had never permitted his art to be shown in bad light. flatly refused to fake long, visually exciting but totally unrealistic battles when he could easily stop his opponent with a few well aimed movements. To this end, he suggested that the action be captured in slow motion photography. He did allow himself to indulge in some fancy jumps and, because of their visual effect, he also adopted the nunchaku sticks as a permanent prop. They are still associated with his name today, more than any other.”

See the print with the extract and more photos from the exhibit below.

Exhibit ‘Arts of fighting in Asia’, Quai Branly Museum, Paris, France

From the Pinkcast.

“Don’t ask for feedback. Ask for advice. You ask for action steps to get better. In that way you create a partner. When you ask for feedback you create a critic.” — Daniel Pink

For yours truly.

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