The case for action

I was recently watching a Charlie Rose episode on the brain and one of the eminent scientists (David Wolpert from Cambridge) made the point that the only reason we have brains is to produce adaptable and complex movement. We only effect the world by action.

He drove home the point by talking about the “sea squirt,” an animal that attaches itself to a rock in the ocean, from which it never moves, and then proceeds to eat its brain. It no longer needs its brain; its automatic nerves and sensory tissues can handle everything it needs to do since it no longer needs to produce adaptable and complex movement.

I took from this a reinforcement of an idea that I have had for a while. The only way to make something happen in the world is by taking action. The titles of several of my books (Love is a Verb and Write is a Verb) reflect this notion.

The world can only teach you what works by responding to your actions. (And I hasten to add that speech is an action.) So, to create Your Life of Freedom, you must take actions.

Then notice what works to move you in the direction in which you want to go, adjust, and take more actions.

What actions will you take in the next period of time to help make Your Life of Freedom closer to reality?