“I teach in my Physiology of Exercise course that ‘movement begins and ends with the brain.’ All action begins and ends with the brain. Therefore, all inaction begins and ends with the brain, as well. Whatever we do or don’t do begins with the motivation to act…or not. One simple choice—to act or not act.”
The above is a quote from a manuscript I am hoping to publish. I was rereading the manuscript the other day for additional edits and came across this. I was motivated to renew my efforts to find a publisher after a talk with my father about a pep-talk he planned to give my son prior to his district championships for wrestling. (My son placed 2nd, by the way, and is off to the state tournament!) I was reminded of all the amazing things my father has done over his lifetime because he has little fear of failure (e.g., he made it to the Steelers training camp in the 1960s having never played high school or college football). It took me decades before I learned to not see failure as a negative. Failure is a learning opportunity—and something we should be doing more of. If we are failing, we are growing.
It is, indeed, a simple choice: act or don’t act. Like movement and action of any kind, inaction also begins in the brain. We may not choose the cards we are dealt in life, but we do choose how we play our hand.
If we want something in life, we must choose to pursue it. (Heck, even winning the lottery requires that we choose to buy a ticket—an action that must begin with the brain.)
“All action begins and ends with the brain” means that we must follow through with our thoughts. One criticism I have of the classic by Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich, is that it (at least in the title) implies that our thoughts alone produce success. The thoughts initiate the actions that lead to success. (Note: actions—plural—lead to success.) A thought that does not lead to action ends in the brain.
Action risks failure. Failure, however, feeds the brain with the necessary information to reformulate our action plan to try again. Quitting ends with the brain. Only persistent action/effort leads to success.
Action may never grasp the “golden ring”, but it will always bring us closer than inaction ever will. Persistent action always brings one closer to success—i.e., the completion of the goal. So….
Be your best today; be better tomorrow!
Carpe momento!
Very well said!!! Thank you. I will definitely be ordering your book when published!