The Art of Taking Action: Lessons from Japanese Psychology

The alternative is to focus on the effort we make. Our effort is almost always controllable – an action, something we can do. Let’s take the example of finding a job. The outcome, of course, is getting hired. But we certainly can’t control getting a job offer, no matter how hard we try or how well we present ourselves. Instead, we need to keep our

Since we’re not trying to prevent thoughts (after all, some of them might end up being brilliant) one alternative is to put your energy into presence – practicing mindfulness in what you’re doing now. Resolutions are thoughts about

In Japan there is an approach towards company improvement called “kaizen.” It’s a generic Japanese word that means “improvement,” but is usually used to describe a program of organizational development that is based on “continuous improvement.”

You just need to figure out how to work with your life – with your circumstances, your feelings, your family members, your challenges, your dreams and your disappointments. You have to figure out what you need to do, when you need to do it, and how to do it to the best of your ability. There’s nobody whipping you from behind. Your life is in front

call this book The Art of Taking Action, because, like all arts, we can only improve through practice. We become skillful at taking action by taking action. What do you need to do next?

As I notice my environment and the world around me, does that suggest a particular action I need to take? (Paying Attention) • What is my purpose? What am I passionate about? What legacy do I want to leave behind? (Purpose) • As I step back and reflect on my life and relationships, does that suggest a particular action I should take? (Self-Reflecti

So far, we’ve looked at three key ingredients for knowing what action you need to take (or not take). 1. Paying Attention 2. Knowing Your Purpose 3. Self-Reflection

What distinguishes an intentional thought from other thoughts is that it’s a thought which has the idea of a future action. Notice I said “the idea” of a future action. Now suppose I do

Once you take a small step you get new information and now you can consider the situation from a different perspective.