What I know is not always what I do.
One of life's great challenges is aligning what we know and what we do.
Thought
What I know is not always what I do. I know that eating nutritionally deficient, calorie dense foods leads to me weighing more and feeling less energized and buoyant in my mental and emotional states. Yet historically I have failed to do what I know and have spent much of my adult life living far below by physical capacity and potential.
There are lots of things we all seem to instinctively know but fail to do. We all know that we should treat others with kindness, be honest and fair, spend time on our relationships, serve others less fortunate, and give to the needy, yet how often do we fail to do what we know?
I conclude that one of life’s great challenges is not for us to gain more knowledge, since most of us already possess sufficient knowledge; it is to do what we already know.
We must align and discipline our actions, desires and appetites to what we know to be right and true or else we destine ourselves to live far below our potential.
And from my own observations, an undisciplined life of mediocrity and mayhem is not a formula for happiness, fulfillment and purpose.
Quote.
Telling us to obey Instinct is like telling us to obey ‘people’. People say different things: so do instincts.
- C.S. Lewis (The Abolition of Man, p.35)
Idea.
Perhaps we could all try to surprise someone today with an unexpected message expressing gratitude and appreciation.