Action begets action. A body in motion tends to stay in motion. And that’s all I ever needed to stop growing: to get started.
Rumination: Doing nothing’s just the beginning.
To have a brainstorm, a breakthrough, a moment of enlightenment. Once a new idea formed, or a sensible vision of things crystallized, that’s when I would choose to wallow. I’d get momentarily high, my head light among the pink clouds, riding along with that rush of positive neurons that stampede up the back of the neck and tingle with a primordial, rhythmic, coded message: that everything’s great and this new way of looking at things will change my life forever. Finally, a spiritual awakening will never go back to sleep.
I’d admire this new tool given to me for a few moments longer, go over its many handy features, and then place it neatly in my toolbox, usually still in its casing. I felt it was good enough to know it was there. To me, acquiring knowledge was the same as applying it.
To carry this metaphor to its logical conclusion, the tools I’m acquiring are meant to be used. It doesn’t really matter what I’m building. It could be a bird house or a bookcase or a boat that sinks on its maiden voyage.
As long as I’m putting them to good use, that’s the point.
12 the hard way 