Finding Purpose and Alleviating Anxiety

Bruce Lee was driven by his own Purpose in life: "All in all, the goal of my planning and doing is to find the true meaning in life: peace of mind." Bruce's Purpose was "peace of mind," rather than his specific goals of becoming a big movie star or financial success. His big Purpose was self-actualization. "Completeness, the now, is an absence of the conscious mind to strive to divide that which is indivisible. For once the completeness of things is taken a part, it is no longer complete. All the pieces of a car that has been taken a part may be there, but it is no longer a car in its original nature which is its function or life." If your goals are infused with purpose, then it never feels like you're striving, it feels like it's a pursuit of becoming. You feel like you're becoming more of yourself in the accomplishment of your goals rather than needing to accomplish goals for outside accolades and prestige. So much of our culture is built on the pursuit of things, prestige and status—these do not make us happier and often cause anxiety. "I don't really worry about the reward but to set into motion the machinery to achieve it." "A purpose is the eternal condition of success." It's hard to find your purpose if you are struggling with simple tasks, but if you can imbue your daily tasks with purpose, then they can be easier to accomplish and less overwhelming. "Come to some sort of realization as to whatever your pursuit might be. In my case, it has been the pursuit of becoming moment to moment, and constantly questioning myself: What is this Bruce? Is it true or not true? Do you really mean it or not mean it? Once I've found that out, that's it." For everyone asking what your purpose is, your main purpose is to become your true self. You don't have to have your purpose figured out, but put yourself on a path to find it. Do you feel like you're in the flow, or stagnant? Take Action: Ask this: Can I create purpose around whatever task that I have to do? Take a mundane task and infuse it with purpose. A larger research project would be to ask 10 people close to you how they experience your essence and the moments when they see you come alive and express joy. Ask: when do you see me light up or become joyful? People close to us can sometimes see us more clearly than we can see ourselves. AAHA (Awesome Asians and Hapas) This week we highlight Lulu Wang, an American filmmaker and writer. Shannon knows Lulu because they worked together several years ago when Lulu was first starting out. Born in Beijing and classically trained in piano, Lulu graduated from Boston College with a double major in Literature and Music. In 2016, Lulu released her first feature length film "Posthumous" and earlier in 2014 she was awarded the Chaz and Roger Ebert Directing Fellowship. Her short film "Touch" premiered at the 2015 Palm Springs International ShortsFest and won Best Drama at the Asians on Film Festival. In May 2016, Lulu wrote a story for NPR's "This American Life" that is being developed into a feature film. Lulu you're successfully pursuing and we think you're awesome! #BruceLeeMoment This week's #BruceLeeMoment is from Gakuji Tobiyama, read the full version at brucelee.com/podcast: "When I first heard him talk about his water analogy, that was my first Bruce Lee Moment, because right then, I knew I had not been living my life like water but rather a block of ice. Drop me and I smash into pieces, clench me long enough and I'll give the beholder a mild frostbite…I'd been brittle solid ice for a long time, and Bruce Lee taught me to let my "mental molecules" change state to allow myself to flow smart or "crash" through mental barriers with intent and intensity." Share your #AAHA and #BruceLeeMoment recommendations with us via social media @BruceLee or email us at hello@brucelee.com.