Procrastination is death, sedentariness is death, homeostasis is death

Action!: Nothing Happens Until Something Moves by Robert Ringer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I have enjoyed Robert Ringer since shortly after his first book, Winning Through Intimidation, was published in 1973. I regretted his decision to change the title to To Be or Not to Be Intimidated?: That is the Question. I only recently read that he revised and updated it before changing the title. That attenuates my disappointment a bit. This more recent work has a lot to offer. Rather than summarize, I will share a few quotes that I found (literally) noteworthy.
p. 158. "DON’T TRY TO CHANGE PEOPLE. Feeling compelled to change others is the height of arrogance. At least one of the reasons why there is so much hate and war in the world is that so many people feel morally obliged to remake people in their own image. Even if such a lofty objective were moral (which it isn’t), it would be impossible, which is why force is always used in the pursuit of such an objective. This ugly reality has been a fact of life since the beginning of recorded history, and, if anything, is worse today than ever before… people rarely change their basic personalities or moral structures… In those rare instances where significant change does occur, it almost always comes from personal revelation rather than through the efforts of someone else."
p. 244. "…there are few obstacles in life that can prevent you from transforming your dreams into reality through the genius, magic, and power of action… You don’t succeed by focusing on your handicaps; you succeed by focusing on your strengths. Concentrate on the abundance in your life rather than the problems, and take action to exploit that abundance. Discover your best assets, nurture them, and use them as they were meant to be used."
p. 261. "Theory is good for the intellect, but action is good for the soul. It’s also good for your mental health, your physical health, and your pocketbook."
p. 262. “Procrastination is death, sedentariness is death, homeostasis is death… Action is life – and life is meant to be lived.”

Wow! I’m especially delighted with this last as I have been re-listening to George J. Kappas on the newer online streaming (as opposed to the old audiotape) version of The Mental Bank Seminar, where he describes homeostasis as the most powerful force in human behavior, the one we must overcome if we wish to change and improve our lives. Thank you guys!



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