Act before you’re ready

Lao Tzu's wisdom for modern times of strength

Look, and it can’t be seen.

Listen, and it can’t be heard.

Reach, and it can’t be grasped.

You can’t know it, but you can be it, at ease in your own life.

Just realize where you come from; this is the essence of wisdom.

Verse 14 of the Tao Te Ching…one where my interpretation has evolved over time.

I saw it as a good example of not striving… of allowing things to come as they are supposed to come.

Now, I see it as a greater lesson of taking action.

There’s a quote from Pavel Tsatsouline saying “Understanding is a great delay tactic.”

It dances perfectly with Lao Tzu’s words.

We want to know how things will turn out.

We want to find the right information, know all the angles, know what each step will do.

To know everything, ensuring we are making the right decision.

But, there is an endless amount of information you can find, from endless amounts of sources.

It’s a fool’s errand to try to know everything before you take action.

The harder you look, the more cloudy it will get.

The deeper you listen, the less you will hear.

The farther you reach, the weaker your grip.

You can read everything about how to do a great pushup; or you can start doing pushups.

You can read everything about how to swing a baseball bat to hit a homerun; or you can grab a bat and swing.

The truth; you know enough.

The way to find the best way is to live it.

Messing up along the way, and course correct as you go.

You’ll never feel 100% ready; that isn’t an excuse to not take action and go.

As Lao Tzu states…”You can’t know it, but you can be it.”

Be it.

Much Love, Michael