Nothing Happens Until Something Moves

I read a book a few years ago about the "action" phenomenon.  Albert Einstein said, "Nothing happens until something moves" when explaining his Theory of Relativity.  This theory may be Einstein's greatest contribution to science, yet in my mind, this theory applies to all other aspects of life as well.  For example, ideas can help to change the world, preparation is important, wisdom is invaluable.  But in regards to getting things done, when making real change, all of these things are useless, unless one takes action.  In other words, it's not about what you can do: its what you do that counts.

Consider Fred Smith, the founder of Fed-Ex.  I would love to have a penny for every complaint that I have ever heard about the U.S. Post Office, especially when growing up. There was no competition.  It just was what it was.  I am sure other people thought about creating a more efficient and faster way to get mail and packages sent across the country.  Fred Smith was one of those people and in college wrote his college thesis on this subject.  Then he did what very few people ever do, he put action to his written words. And as they say, the rest is history.

I like writing this blog because I get to "preach" to myself.  It's time for me to start taking action again.  Not long ago, it felt like my life was destroyed due to some business ventures that went bad.  At my lowest time, I decided to take a job in Kentucky and live in a camper.  I often talk about the crazy, difficult things that have transpired because of this situation, but in reality, for me the decision to go to Kentucky was just what I needed.  I have had time to think, to be alone, to escape, and try to make sense of things.  To go from having everything I ever wanted to having very little has helped me to refocus and evaluate my priorities.  And I feel like I am healing.  I believe I am close to being able to take the "band-aid" off and to start moving forward again.

A stress free life sounds nice, but really there is an inherent urgency to life.  Life is finite, and we don't know when our finite supply of time will be over.  Life is also a competition.  I competed with every other male on the planet for my wife.  I have competed on athletic teams.  I compete daily with the competition to earn a living.  So I believe it is time to take calculated, strategic action and to try to make progress every day.

The first thing on my "action" list: to get back home.