Friday, July 19, 2019

July 19--Actions Speak More Loudly


What we think or what we know or what we believe is in the end of
little consequence. The only thing of consequence is what we do.

John Ruskin

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Today's Meditation:

Our actions really are the bottom line of our lives.  We can sit and ponder the meaning of existence for days or weeks or years, but if we don't do anything positive with our lives, then what can the meanings of our lives possibly be?  It's very easy to get caught up in thoughts and ideas, but while in the end these can help us to make decisions to act, they really don't make any contributions of their own.

I know people who live almost completely in their thoughts.  Often they'll spend plenty of time thinking about things that are wrong with the world, and they may even come up with some great ideas about how to deal with some of those problems, but they'll never take any actions on those ideas.  They may think of a wonderful invention or product that would help many people, but they don't do anything that would make it a reality.  And when someone else creates something similar to what they thought of, they're often upset because they "thought of it first."

We may think that the new tax in our state is unfair, but if we don't act to change it, the thoughts really mean nothing in the long run.  We may believe that it's important to help our fellow human beings, but until we take the steps to actually do so, those beliefs don't help anyone at all.  We may have thought of great ways to improve conditions at work or to improve productivity, but if those thoughts never leave our minds and turn into action, then guess what?

It's great to think.  It's great to ponder life and living and the meaning of life.  It's wonderful to let our minds ruminate on thoughts and ideas that really do need to be thought, when all is said and done.  But there are points at which the mental work does need to become action, at which we need to take things from the theoretical to the practical.  Those are the points that in the end, when we're looking back at our lives, we will have begun to make a difference and to define ourselves.

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Questions to consider:

When are the most important times for thinking in your life?

How might you turn some of your most important thoughts and ideas into actions that will benefit many more people than your thoughts can?

Why do so many people get trapped in cycles that keep them from putting their thoughts and ideas into action?  What keeps us from doing so?

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For further thought:

The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something.  It's as simple as that.  A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now.  Not tomorrow. Not next week.  But today.  The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.







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