THE ELEMENT OF ACTION

The Tao can be seen as the ultimate in self-improvement. It not only illuminates a path to a better you, but it also tells us why some people succeed while others fail when they attempt to improve themselves.

Most self-improvement books express the idea that you can change your life by changing your mind. This is appealing because it seems so easy. It seems to require little or no effort.

The element of action does not always receive the proper emphasis, and this is the crucial factor. For some people, changing their thoughts will naturally lead them to action. These are the people who will succeed with most methods of self-improvement. At the same time, there are also people who assume thinking differently is all they have to do, so they follow the books but otherwise take no concrete steps, trusting that the universe will do all the work for them. These are the people who fail to get anywhere. When the next self-improvement fad comes around, they will flock to it, only to end up with the same lack of results as before.

The Tao Today

In chapter 42 of the Tao Te Ching, the third factor that creates everything can be interpreted as the element of action. When you master this concept, you will be able to use it as a driving force to make lasting changes in your life. Just as the Tao creates myriad things in the world, you will also be able to create whatever you want to manifest in your life.

The Tao of Joy Every Day

~ Derek Lin