The Rock vs The River: Two outlooks on Life

Eric Brionez
5 min readApr 1, 2021
Photo by Diego Madrigal from Pexels

Many say that true happiness depends on how you approach life and the challenges that come from it. Over the years I’ve developed a life philosophy that I’d like to introduce here. I believe there are two types of people in this world…people who are the rock or the river. I hope it can bring whoever that reads this a new perspective and a more positive outlook on life! The question one must ask, would you rather be the Rock or the River?

The Rock

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I’m sure you’ve heard people describe themselves as the rock of the family or the rock in their relationship. In this scenario, I’m not referring to people in that sense since it’s a positive way to describe someone as the rock. From my perspective it’s describing the rocks of the world using other personality traits. People I would define as the rocks would be someone who is stubborn and hard-headed. Because if you think of a rock, they don’t move and the same goes for a person who is stubborn. They won’t budge on their beliefs or opinions because rocks are solid and don’t move. They’re the type who always think they’re right and never apologize. This can also lead into that most who are rocks are judgmental people. They tend to view the world a certain way and if it’s not the way they live their life — they condemn it. The rocks are people that have a short fuse, they get stressed or angry easily because rocks have a hard (for the literal sense rocks are made up of hard elements) time diffusing situations. Their instinct is to lash out rather than to compromise.

Let’s break down the science of rocks more here: Did you know that most rocks contain silicate minerals, so the proportion of silica in rocks and minerals is a major factor in determining their names and properties. The interesting connection to my theory is silica is also know as Silicon dioxide. Which inhaling finely divided crystalline silica is toxic and can lead to severe inflammation of the lung tissue, silicosis, bronchitis, lung cancer, and systemic autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. From the way I’m describing the rocks most will agree that these type of people are toxic by the way they act and approach life. Now let’s describe the people who are the river.

The River

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Before we jump into people that would describe themselves as rivers, let’s take a moment to sink in one of my favorite quotes from the world’s baddest martial artist and philosopher. As this will be the reasoning to my theories ahead:

“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.” ~ Bruce Lee

People that would fall into the category of being the river would be someone who’s easy going first and foremost. A person that goes with the flow and who doesn’t get angry easily. The same way a river is constantly moving down stream. It doesn’t have time to sit there like the rock and absorb every problem that happens in life because it’s always moving. But one could argue that the rivers can be hard sometimes and take a stance on something important in their lives just only when they feel justified. Like how a river can get cold enough to freeze in place, but happens seldom. These type of people are not judgmental since they realize the world is ever-changing. Like the path that their river can be. They don’t sweat the small stuff, because well they’re like water and already fluid.

Now think of water in a scientific level. It’s the birth of life itself. Water is the most pure thing you can drink that keeps you healthy and feeling light. Up to 60% of the human adult body is water. When we’re in water swimming or floating it’s one of the most freeing feelings. I can go on and on about the benefits of water but you get the point. Elements of the rock are toxic to us, but elements of water are healthy. Let’s examine both types of people paired together for my conclusion of my life philosophy.

The Rock vs The River

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There’s a huge difference between how the Rock and the River live their life which I’ll introduce another analogy for better understanding. Bird Shit…hear me out this will make sense in a second! So think of bird shit to be what we all deal with in life which is challenges, mistakes, loss and disappointments. In life there’s just constant bird shit dropping all the time and it’s always happening when you least expect it. How does the rock and the river deal with bird shit? If you’re the rock, the bird shit (ie: life obstacles) just sits there and doesn’t go away easily and possibly not at all. You absorb and internalize it because of the way you look at life as I described above. It builds up so much until you’re just a rock that’s carrying more bird shit than being the rock you wanted people to perceive you as. However, if you’re the river when bird shit falls on me I just flush it right out. I’m constantly moving so I don’t let it stick to me to build up or to stop me from where I’m trying to go. It’s the same way Bruce Lee describes in his quote. To be like water you don’t have to be assertive and you can just adjust to the object. Which this object we’re trying to adjust to and deal with is the bird shit. If you’re not rigid like water the more you can adjust to those who are like the rock and more solid. Because ultimately if there’s a river with rocks all next to it, the bird shit that starts building up on the rock, the river is the one who helps the rock wash it out. The rocks can’t do that on their own. So what’s the moral of the story? Be more like the river than the rock. Constantly stay fluid like the resilient river you can be. Rocks can always change with erosion and start to become the river. Ultimately being the river will encompass more happiness, less stress, more friends, less arguments in life. Always stay fluid!

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Eric Brionez

Creative Director • Creative Anything • Fashion • Comedy • Travel • Founder of Erban Creative — design studio based in NYC. Let’s collab: www.erbancreative.com