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Meditation or Movement – Which Is Best?

March 5, 2012

This is a guest post written by Kent Julian. Kent is the founder and president of Live It Forward LLC, a personal and professional development company that helps people make the move to the life and work they love. He is also a highly sought after speaker to students and educators all across the country. In addition, he coaches individuals who are interested in starting their own speaking business. Connect with him on his blog or follow him on Twitter.

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Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.

– Ralph Waldo Emerson –

Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly.

– Robert H. Schuller –

The longer I work with life and career clients, the more I realize that certain “sticking points” are common with many people. Think of them as “hurdles” that are difficult to clear.

One such hurdle is the tendency to spend more time meditating on what to do than actually getting busy and doing something.

Why does this happen?

You name it…

  • Perfectionism
  • Fear
  • Busyness
  • Not knowing where to start

Whatever the cause, the result is always the same:

  • Lack of movement
  • Halt-ed-ness
  • Stuck-ness

Now, don’t miss what I’m about to write…

First, meditating (i.e. thinking, planning, and goal setting) is essential. The likelihood of anyone finding significance or success without meditating on what matters most is scant. The fact is, I spend a significant amount of time thinking deeply about purpose and direction, intentionally planning how to best invest my life, and setting goals to achieve what matters most to me.

Second, I struggle with the same things you do. Remember the list…

  • Perfectionism
  • Fear
  • Busyness
  • Not knowing where to start

As I write this, I am looking in “my mirror” and focusing on “my issues” as much, if not more so, than the issues my life and career clients’ face.

Yet, the bottom line for all of us is this… meditating on what to do and why to do it is important, but there comes a time when we must stop meditating and start moving.

Why?

Because so much more is accomplished through movement than meditation!

What this means, basically, is there is a time to say, “Good enough is good enough…let’s start moving!”

So…in the spirit of Ecclesiastes….

  • There is a time think…
  • There is a time to plan…
  • There is a time to strategize…
  • There is a time to prepare…
  • There is a time set goals…

BUT…

There is also a time to get off our rears and do something!

Why not make that time today? Do something today you’ve been thinking about doing and believe is significant. I guarantee you’ll be energized and feel a sense of meaning in your life!

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  • Marianne Clements March 6, 2012 at 8:00 am

    Kent,

    Good words of wisdom here. I’ve definitely had times where I have felt stuck and have not been focusing on the most important things in my life. Thankfully, I’m not stuck at the moment.

    Have a Victorious Day!
    Marianne Clements
    Victory Christian Coaching

    • Claudia Good March 7, 2012 at 7:18 am

      Marianne,
      Glad your not stuck!

  • Kent Julian March 6, 2012 at 9:55 am

    Thanks for posting this, Michael.

    Personally, I love to strategize and plan. However, even the best plan, if not implemented, is only worth the paper it sits on.

    • Michael Good March 6, 2012 at 3:05 pm

      You’re welcome, Kent. And well put. It takes action to actually do or change anything.

    • Claudia Good March 7, 2012 at 7:08 am

      awesome post Kent!
      Your words just rang true with me yesterday!

      Ok… just wondering… how in the world did your wife get things done with twins!!??

      • Kent Julian March 7, 2012 at 7:34 am

        Not only twins…but our son celebrated his 2nd birthday just three days before our twins were born. Yup, we had 3 in diapers for a while 🙂

        Now, we look back and say, “How did we do that?” Especially since we were 1,000 miles away from extended family. You just kind of do it one day at a time.

        One HUGE help was our church. I was a youth pastor at a pretty large church, and the families there really went overboard to help us out. To this day, we stay in touch with so many of those wonderful people and continue to count them as one of our biggest blessings when our kids were born.

        • Claudia Good March 7, 2012 at 8:58 am

          Wow Kent,
          That is… wow. Ya I love to hear other people’s stories… cause I have a hard time planning my day and getting things done with just one!! 🙂
          A church family IS huge. That is wonderful that you had so much support during that time.
          We are in full pursuit of this at present.

  • Ann J Musico March 6, 2012 at 10:53 am

    I am most definitely a planner – in fact, I can get mired in the planning stage, well, forever!! Constantly tweaking and improving and changing – and never moving forward! So, I relate strongly to this and I heed the call – I will get up and get moving! Great post.

    • Michael Good March 6, 2012 at 3:07 pm

      I’m heeding the call as well, Ann! I love this challenge by Kent and how he says that so much more is accomplished through movement than meditation.

  • Rob Coburn March 7, 2012 at 11:17 am

    Kent always comes through with the questions that make you think deeply about where you came from and where you are going. Thanks for providing this for us. @missioncoach

  • robclinton March 7, 2012 at 11:56 am

    Oh yes, movement is a common hurdle… Not the thought of moving, but actually moving forward. I love to think, plan, write out ideas, diagrams, flowcharts, and all that stuff that shows us how something could work, but it’s never going to work until we take it off that white board and give it feet. Great post, Kent!

    • Michael Good March 13, 2012 at 8:29 am

      That’s the high C in you, Rob. It’s cool that it’s coupled with a D though as well. Then, you plan what needs to be planned and take action!

  • Cynthia March 7, 2012 at 12:42 pm

    Ouch! Kent, thanks.

    “Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly.”

    – Robert H. Schuller –

    • Michael Good March 13, 2012 at 8:30 am

      He’s not letting us off easily is he, Cynthia? Thanks for the input.