To Do or Not to Do

“Good ideas are common – what’s uncommon are people who’ll work hard enough to bring them about.”~Ashleigh Brilliant

From to-do lists to long-term goals, we all have ideas regarding how to make our lives and the world better. However, many of those ideas end up “on the shelf” gathering cobwebs. The world is made up of two kinds of people: thinkers and doers. The thinkers have wonderful intentions. They come up with all kinds of ideas–their next career step, an invention, or a surprise for a family member. But when it comes to making a move, thinkers let their ideas fizzle into unfulfilled dreams. Doers, on the other hand, are the movers and shakers of the world. They can make a change or bring an idea into fruition almost as quickly as a new thought comes to them. They decide to quit smoking–and BOOM! They’ve made the change. The truth is no matter how great your idea or sincere your intention, without action your idea amounts to little. So how do we turn our intentions into actions? How do we become not just thinkers, but doers?

First, set your intention. When you feel moved to make a change or act on behalf of someone or something, set a goal for yourself. Keep the “why” in mind. Are people counting on you? Do your actions help others? Will your idea bring joy or comfort to someone? Remembering what makes a choice significant will make you more likely to follow through.

Once you set a goal and make a resolution to act, try to zero in on one single act you wish to accomplish first. Set the larger issue aside for the moment. For example, a goal to help the homeless can be overwhelming. There are so many people who need assistance! Where does one begin?

We begin with a single goal and a single act. Volunteering for one afternoon at a shelter is a great start. When you have met your goal, you’ll feel good about the difference you’ve made and want to do more. Take the first step. No matter how small, even a single action in the right direction can open wide channels of Light in the world. Michael Berg explains, “Every action we take opens or closes celestial gates of courage and charity, mercy and love, and every other positive quality. Our actions directly control their manifestation in the world.”

Engineers understand this principle because it works with large air or sea crafts, as well. Ships and planes are built with trimtabs, tiny rudders attached to the back of larger rudders. If a craft were forced to change direction quickly, the force of the turn would cause the large rudders to snap. Trimtabs enable ships and planes to move more easily since the small movements over time enable crafts to make drastic changes in direction. The same is true for us; a series of little decisions and actions can create great change in our lives.

If you feel that you need to make a change, but are reluctant to make a move, fake it until you make it. Sometimes our hearts and our minds are in two different places. Our hearts can be urging us to act while our minds get in the way with fear, laziness, or preoccupation. Once you make a decision, stick to it. Eventually, your heart and mind will align and you will begin to take joy in your actions. When you do, you bring more blessings into your life and increase the Light in the world exponentially.

Kabbalists teach that the Light colludes to assist our greatest intentions. As Michael Berg puts it, “Once a person decides to do the right thing—to do whatever it takes to connect to the Light of the Creator—miracles will occur to support that person.” Still, it’s our responsibility to turn our ideas into actions that will affect the world positively. There is no time like the present; whatever calls you at this moment, set your intention and take the first step.