Show Up. Mood Follows Action.

A few thoughts on closing the knowing-doing gap

You can’t think, wish, or feel yourself into a new mindset.

Here’s a common trap: You tell yourself I’m reading, thinking, and talking about whatever it is I want to be doing, so I’m good. But reading, thinking, and talking about something isn’t the same thing as doing it. If you really want to change, you’ve got to start doing it.

I call this the knowing-doing gap.

Yes, some level of knowing, of conceptual understanding, is important. But just because you know something inside and out doesn’t mean it’s taken deep roots inside of you. That kind of depth and transformation tends only to follow action. Taking action isn’t easy, particularly if you are acting in a way that runs counter to your built up habit energies; cultural forces; workplace pressures; or family patterns. Sometimes taking action — even if you know it’s the right thing to do — can feel like a chore, especially at first. But there is no escaping the fact that skillful action is the pathway to productive change.

A consistent practice may take at least a little motivation to get going, but over time the equation is reversed. Dedicating yourself to the practice…