According to Sifu Dan Inosanto, JKD is:

• “A series of guidelines to lead you to proficiency.”
• “JKD is finding the right art for the right time and place.”
• “JKD is the process of developing the “discerning mind.”
• “JKD is not an end unto itself, but merely a byproduct.  JKD was to serve as a means of self-discovery.”
• “JKD is a byproduct of Jun Fan Gung Fu… without Jun Fan Gung Fu there is no JKD.
• “The motion of change is essential to JKD.  The concept advocates learning, experiencing and evolving above all things.”
• “Learning comes from all of your contacts, experiences and facets of your life.”
• “The assimilation of learning is called knowledge.  The proper use of knowledge is called wisdom.”
• “I think it is important for an instructor to always remain a student at heart; to constantly seek better ways of training and execution.  It is important to be creative and experiment, and to seek help in areas where you lack expertise.”
• “The efficiency of a style depends upon circumstances and range of distance.”
• “Martial arts, like life, are a constant unrhythmic movement as well as constant change.”