Taking Action

"So I'm reading this  _________ book..." My family always starts grinning when I start a sentence with that comment.  Recently, it has gone from "Amish" to "Gifts of Imperfection" and today it was "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell.  I have been "reading" the last two over the past several months.  It is about the journey not finishing, right?

So I'm reading this book called 'Blink'...

...and it is very thought-provoking. I have subtitled it "A Book about Taking Action."  Wrote it on the cover, in fact. (It is my book :).)

After reading as much as I have of it, I believe that there are three arenas that we can live our life in:
--preparation: routine, systematic learning, pattern developing
--decision: looking at a particular situation and deciding what to do
--action: moving forward with a plan of action
I am sure there are others...this book just made me think of these arena of activity.

Gladwell suggests that improv actors and generals (people who need to make quick action decisions) are better when they have spent a lot of time in the preparation phase and don't linger too long in "decision" mode.  In fact, taking too long to make a decision in a particular situation can kill a scene or an army.

Or my day.

I do a lot of time in prep but find myself wandering for long periods of time in the realm of indecision:

--"good, better, or best?"
--"will it be enough?"

What I like about this book is that he says that we need to trust our gut more often.  Make the decision.  Move forward.  Moments pass.  Opportunities are wasted.

Different situations require different amounts of time in the areas of decision and action.  I think we can all feel when we are lingering too long in the realm of decision-making in a particular instance, afraid or unsure of what is the next step to take.

Just a thought: so many times God blesses us with vision and purpose when we take that step into the darkness.  Just step.  Maybe it is in the hours of spiritual preparation we spend at church or in religious study and mediation that make us better able to take that trusting step of action? ...when we let ourselves take it, that is.

This book has just made me think about where I spend the most time.  I could spend a lot more time in "preparation" phase, enjoying the learning process, anticipating "decision" not with dread but trust, and then courageously taking "action" even when "decision" and "preparation" feels safer.

I have personally had some things come to mind while writing this, areas in my life where I linger in deliberation and decision.  The Spirit whispers that God has amply prepared me.  I need to just act.

Just hug.
Just visit.
Just trust that my action is enough.
Just speak.
Just do.

Then smile and move forward with preparation and study for the next moment of action.