Make a change today because tomorrow is never guaranteed.
A monk told Joshu: “I have just entered the monastery. Please teach me.”
Old Zen Story
Joshu asked: “Have you eaten your rice porridge?”
The monk replied: “I have eaten.”
Joshu said: “Then you had better wash your bowl.”
We all have things we know we should do but often find ourselves procrastinating or avoiding them. This leads to a lack of progress and the feeling that our goals are impossible to achieve. However, by breaking down large projects into smaller tasks, we can take the first step toward making a significant change in our lives. That’s why my New Year’s resolution this year was to radically transform my life, and I believe the key to making that happen is by starting with the simple act of making a change today.
Make Change by Acting Today
In my post about my desire to shift from survival to thriving, I touched on the Zen Guitar principle of “Doing What Needs To Be Done. Whereby the author, Philip Toshio, uses Zen Philosophy to challenge the human tendencies of inaction and procrastination. We waste time and energy procrastinating and worrying when we can just do it. All those things we know we should do, chip away at our peace of mind. Instead of thinking “I should take out the trash”, it is easier to use that Nike slogan.
Do…or do not. There is no try
Yoda
We Are Capable of Action
The irony of modern society is that many of us have no problem acting this out in our daily lives. During our professions and time at work, we simply act. In other words, we bring large projects to life by breaking themdown into small tasks. In my year being employed at a startup like brand new international school. I’ve seen empty buildings transform into a fully functioning thriving school community. Personally, I’ve learned and built numerous systems that would have seemed impossible to bring to life a year ago.
Even if your work isn’t project-based, we all act out this principle. The bricklayer places one brick at a time, the waitress takes one order at a time, and so on. At work, we break down large projects into smaller tasks to bring them to life, yet in our personal lives, we often put things off. This can be attributed to the lack of immediate consequences in our personal lives, compared to our professional lives where the threat of losing our job motivates us to act.
The Ultimate Consequence
However, it’s important to remember that life comes with its own ultimate consequence – death. Until we develop the technology to transfer our consciousness or achieve immortality, death is inevitable. The cycle of life and death renews and refreshes everything, from leaves to human beings. Despite the certainty of death, we often act as if tomorrow is guaranteed. But, death can come at any moment, which is why it’s crucial to make the most of the time we have and strive toward the life we want.
The Power of Acting Without Fear
“The roof is leaking.” One monk disappeared and came back instantly with a sieve and put it on the drips. Another monk, after some time, came back with a bucket. And a master praised the one who brought the sieve. Now, the action wasn’t exactly appropriate—I mean, you know, to catching rain—but the point was that he was in the spirit of the Zen discipline by acting without choosing. And you’ll notice this with certain people. Certain people never hesitate. They always seem—if something needs to be done—they seem somehow simply to grab something and do it. You know? Which is a kind of a Zen capacity.
Alan Watts
The story of the leaky roof is a well-known Zen tale that highlights the importance of acting without hesitation. In Alan Watts’ version of the story, two monks are presented with a leaking roof and are tasked with fixing it. The master praises the monk who brought the sieve, because he acted without choosing, in the spirit of the Zen discipline.
This story is a reminder that sometimes we may not know what the best course of action is, and there may not be a clear plan or script. In these situations, it is natural to feel a fear of making a mistake.
This story highlights the Zen capacity of acting without choosing and being in the moment.
The lesson here is that sometimes we may not have a clear plan or know exactly what to do. This can lead to fear of making a mistake and inaction. However, it’s important to remember that mistakes are part of the process and the most important thing is to take action.
Make a Small Change Today
You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change the direction of your life overnight
Jim Rohn
Jim Rohn’s quote highlights the importance of taking small, incremental steps towards our goals. He emphasizes that it is not necessary to make drastic changes overnight to reach our desired destination. Instead, we can start by making small, yet impactful choices in our daily lives.
For example, if our goal is to lead a healthier lifestyle, we can start by replacing unhealthy snacks with healthier options, such as an apple instead of a cake. Similarly, if our goal is to travel more, we can start by taking small road trips to nearby locations.
Rohn’s philosophy of marginal gains can be seen in action with the transformation of the British Cycling Team. By making small improvements in their training, nutrition, and equipment, the team was able to achieve remarkable success. This serves as proof that small changes can lead to big results over time.
Making Changes in My Life
It’s one thing to talk to talk, but you gotta walk the walk too. Below is the list of things I’ve done this week to implement small changes in my life.
Monday
- Recorded, Edited, Uploaded, Titled, Tagged, and Uploaded a YouTube Video
- Played Basketball to ease back into exercise
- Started and Completed an application for a media position at the University of Washington Tacoma
- Sorted my laundry and ran another load
- Finally set up the lighting and took multiple black-and-white photos of my shoe still life for my art portfolio
- Continued backing up and organizing my computer hard drives in preparation for a clean install
Tuesday
- Continued my habit of shooting hoops and followed by a 20:00 minute elliptical Session
- Wrote this blog post
- Wrote and finished Cover Letter and Assessments for UWT Position
Wednesday
- Bought some drinks for my friend
- Balancing Finances Via Application
- Building Setlist For Disco
- Shoe still life
Thursday
- Working on a video for a new job application process
Friday
- Continued working on that video
