If you think that Bruce Lee is the only Asian badass out there, check this guy out – Lee Kuan Yew, the man who led Singapore from a Third World country to a First in one generation.  Some hsve called him one of the grandmasters of the 20th Century next to Henry Kissinger.  

This is what true wisdom, intelligence, heart, and grit look like.  I encourage you to watch more of his speeches and read his writings.  Incisive, profound, effective.

I quoted him in staff meetings to my oftentimes bumblef___k supervisors who were trained at prestigious schools but knew so little about leadership and human nature.  

Look at the leaders around us – on both ends of the spectrum.  Dressed up chickens could make a better showing than some of them.

In Malaysia, the majority Malay-Muslims often treat other races like crap.  Disclaimer here – the best people I know are Muslims and so are the worst, like any other faith (or none).  In 1963, the Federation of Malaya kicked out Singapore which was a majority Chinese state.

It broke Lee Kuan Yew’s heart as his dream and vision was a united Malaysia.  But he stood his ground, buckled up, and led with courage and determination.  Singapore not only survived but thrived. He invested in arguably Singapore’s only but greatest resource- its people. At the time of the split, Singapore did not have a military, police force, or even a water source (it still doesn’t). Now its military is one of the strongest in the region, arguably only behind Australia. Singapore is one of the wealthiest nations in the world with strong institutions and reputation. It is certainly not perfect with criticisms of authoritarianism but that was the trade (maybe necessary) for survival. Singapore’s position geographically is very much like Israel, surrounded by at the least- not friendly neighbors.

For me, I am a child of Malaysia, Tanah Tumpahnya Darahku forever but our leadership was never close to his caliber, rendering us backward in many areas.