One of my biggest creative influences is Bruce Lee.

I wear a wrap on my wrist as a reminder of a philosophy I try to bring into my work and the rest of my life:

“Be water, my friend.”

What I love about that idea is how much it asks of you. Pay attention. Be willing to change your approach. Recognize when something you know well is getting in the way of something you need to learn.

In creative work, it’s easy to develop a favorite way of doing things. A visual style. A process. A solution that worked so well once that you keep reaching for it. Experience is useful. But I want to stay aware of when I’m applying what I’ve learned and when I’m just repeating myself.

That’s why Lee’s resistance to rigid styles makes sense to me. Every brand has its own character. Every problem has different constraints. The work needs room to find its own expression.

That also applies to leading a team. Different people need different kinds of support. Sometimes you need to give clear direction. Sometimes you need to listen, get out of the way, and let someone take the work somewhere you wouldn’t have.

I love his focus on keeping things simple. Sometimes a type treatment or an image looks great, but it’s pulling attention away from what you’re trying to say. You have to be willing to cut it, even if it was your favorite part.

I don’t always get this right. I can get attached to an idea or frustrated when something changes. That’s part of why I wear the reminder.

For me, being water means bringing my experience and point of view while staying open enough to discover a better way.