A Bruce Lee Life Lesson

Some of the most influential people of all time were (and are) counter cultural. One of my favorites: Bruce Lee.

Must read for #AsianAmerican(s). #BalanceIsKey #AsianAmericanHeritageMonth https://t.co/bCFFM9adv2 pic.twitter.com/EBCU926fNN

— Ben Fung (@DrBenFung) May 8, 2015

Bruce Lee and many other innovative thinkers of their time were all about keeping the good, rejecting the bad, and shaping the situation to suit individual and/or situational needs. The philosophical approach is being agile and adaptive; that there must be rhyme to the reason.

Things done out of principle can quickly lose their context... and thus, purpose.

And, context is severely important when it comes to the needs and struggles of Millennial Asians.

The life lesson I want to share is the ubiquitous Asian cultural value of WORK ETHIC. It is a rare thing to see Millennial Asians being parented in a manner which remotely tolerates "being lazy." Of the many values of Asian heritage, having a strong work ethic is one of the best attributes to keep.

Work ethic is a strong predictor of success in business. It is also a fair predictor of collegial acceptance as well as financial stability. However, for Millennial Asians, we need to make sure we're letting them know WHY they work so hard.

"To get into a good school (college)" isn't enough. They need to understand and value the end goal! Also, whatever they are being encouraged, forced, or bullied into working for... it must have direct purpose. Playing piano? Practicing violin? This needs to be purposeful. If they aren't going to use that down the line, why even do it? If they are, parents must support their Millennial Asians so that they don't feel frustrated that their lives are but meaningless labor... suffering... delayed gratifcation with no true gratification.

The Bruce Lee life lesson about Work Ethic is this: Keep it. Work HARD. Labor. Endure! But, do all these for specific, clear, and tangible purposes. In doing so, the Millennial Asian will be doubly rewarded for their efforts and will be encouraged to continue working hard, all the days of their lives.