Make your blog kick ass like Bruce lee

Bruce Lee was a one man, zero fat ass kicking machine like no other. That he was a film industry unto himself is a simple addendum to that one previous fact. He is arguably the single greatest martial artist of all time across any genre and his many teachings can be easily applied to the blogosphere just as it can be applied to delivering a swift sidekick to someone’s gut. Few know of Bruce Lee’s book, called “Tao of Jeet Kune Do”, but in it he reveals a lot of his philosophies when it comes to life and fighting. See if you can identify with any of them, for I’m sure you can apply those lessons to your blog as well.

“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done. Instead, make the move and put your full effort behind it”

The Spanish sum it up beautifully with the concept of Carpe Diem. If you feel you have an opportunity, go for it by giving all of your best. If you come up with a fantastic idea for a post, don’t think about how you want to make it sound or look, just get it done. Sportspeople talk of this mental plane called ‘The Zone’ where they don’t think about their next move or shot, they just do it (that is not subliminal advertising for Nike). Just let fly, as if you’re Bruce Lee unfurling a karate chop. Do it now.

“You just wait. I’m going to be the biggest Chinese Star in the world.”

For Lee, it was more about the will to win than getting the win itself. If you wanted to win something, that will remains constant and drives you on to bigger thing. No hurdle is too high, no pre-condition too tough and no exertion of effort too great. What matters is the goal itself, but it is the individual’s will that powers people on to that target and Bruce Lee realized this. Becoming a noted blogger is incredibly difficult and only a small number actually make their living from it. That’s how hard it can be. But the question is how badly you want to make a success of yourself. It has to be a fire within that drives you forwards, a sustained passion.

“The less effort, the faster and more powerful you will be.”

Blogging can be some very draining work, so use your energy wisely. Channel it towards the essential while knocking off the unessential. There will be detractors and those that fire nasty vitriol your way. Ignore them; don’t let their hate weaken your own drive. Instead, focus on the positive. I receive lots of appreciative mails but none of them linger in my mind, only those two or three mails that were stinging in their criticism remained in my mind. I don’t do this anymore, and that is an example of paring away the unessential. Similarly, if you’ve hit a writers block, don’t feel frustrated. Replenish your creative energies, brainstorm, do whatever you need to come back rejuvenated and attack the essentials. Your energy is your biggest weapon; harness it wisely.

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once; I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”

It’s true when they say practice makes perfect. Are you practicing your craft daily and with the sort of fervent passion martial arts experts do? No matter what anyone says, a blogger is a writer and words are to you what a shuriken is to a ninja; it is a potent weapon. The best bloggers always practice their writing skills, and some even across a variety of styles and voices. If you can’t do that, perfect that one voice that is you distilled into its very finest. This will not only smoothen your blogging, but also reduce the time you take to come up with posts and write them down.

No matter what you set your mind to, you can achieve it if you only fully commit yourself to it, and that is the spirit behind these principles and quotes of Bruce Lee. Even from beyond the grave, Lee is teaching all of us to kick ass and there is a timeless wisdom in his words that you should apply to your writings and blogs right away.