Intentionality
“Nothing happens until something moves”. This statement long attributed to Albert Einstein has been stuck in my mouth lately. I just can’t seem to get away from this thought and idea.
The law of inertia in physics states that, “A body in motion tends to remain in motion whereas a body at rest tends to remain at rest. It takes considerable more energy to move a stationary object then it does one that is already moving”.
This quote long attributed to Goethe by mistake draws upon this point:
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.” William Hutchinson Murray (1913-1996), from his 1951 book entitled The Scottish Himalayan Expedition.
A story I read recently perhaps illustrates this idea:
When it became apparent that Humvees in Iraq needed to be armored, he explained, the command sent a certain number of sets via air to get the process moving forward. Once those were delivered, TRANSCOM dispatched a ship with hundreds of sets of armor. The airlifted sets allowed the process to start, the sealifted sets allowed the process to continue. There was no pause or hold-up in placing the armor on the vehicles.
http://www.defense.gov/news/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=2297
The tendency for many of us is to have lots of ideas but then to put things off and delay implementing them. This leads to stress because you know there are things you should be working on now. When we see others moving on these ideas this only adds to the frustration we feel.
