It was Will Rogers that said: If you want to be successful, know what
you are doing, love what you are doing, and believe in what you are
doing.
But what does it mean “to do.” Why do we so often feel compelled to
do something? Merriam Webster tells us that do means to cause, to
make, to bring to pass, to perform, to execute and to conduct
oneself. But how do we know what to do? When is it better to do
nothing?
The concept of self-efficacy is the focal point of Albert Bandura's
social cognitive theory. Self-efficacy plays the central role in the
cognitive regulation of motivation, because people regulate the level
and the distribution of effort they will expend in accordance with the
effects they are expecting.
So there is a necessary confidence in doing because doing is expressed
in the perception of the principal aim of life as accomplishing things
mainly for the good of both the individual and society. When is it
right to do nothing, to just let it be? Being is mainly directed at
the individual’s cultivation and development of his personality (Erich
Fromm). Perhaps the answer is not to choose, but to recognize being in
the midst of doing. This requires the understanding that Doing and
Being are a profound pair of complementary qualities in human
existence.
The Christian mystic Neville Goddard believed that the only thing to
do is imagine: “If you imagine a state, remain faithful to it, and it
externalizes itself, you have found the creator of the world for by
him all things are made and without imagination is not anything made
that is made. When you discover how to make something, you have found
him of whom Moses and the prophets wrote, your own wonderful human
imagination, the Everlasting Sustainer of all life. (Neville Goddard
No Other God 5.10.1968) This discovery of imagination, Neville called
God’s “Promise. There is nothing any person can do to earn it. It is
sheer Grace and comes in its own good time.”
> It was Will Rogers that said: If you want to be successful, know what
> you are doing, love what you are doing, and believe in what you are
> doing.
> But what does it mean “to do.” Why do we so often feel compelled to
> do something? Merriam Webster tells us that do means to cause, to
> make, to bring to pass, to perform, to execute and to conduct
> oneself. But how do we know what to do? When is it better to do
> nothing?
> The concept of self-efficacy is the focal point of Albert Bandura's
> social cognitive theory. Self-efficacy plays the central role in the
> cognitive regulation of motivation, because people regulate the level
> and the distribution of effort they will expend in accordance with the
> effects they are expecting.
> So there is a necessary confidence in doing because doing is expressed
> in the perception of the principal aim of life as accomplishing things
> mainly for the good of both the individual and society. When is it
> right to do nothing, to just let it be? Being is mainly directed at
> the individual’s cultivation and development of his personality (Erich
> Fromm). Perhaps the answer is not to choose, but to recognize being in
> the midst of doing. This requires the understanding that Doing and
> Being are a profound pair of complementary qualities in human
> existence.
> The Christian mystic Neville Goddard believed that the only thing to
> do is imagine: “If you imagine a state, remain faithful to it, and it
> externalizes itself, you have found the creator of the world for by
> him all things are made and without imagination is not anything made
> that is made. When you discover how to make something, you have found
> him of whom Moses and the prophets wrote, your own wonderful human
> imagination, the Everlasting Sustainer of all life. (Neville Goddard
> No Other God 5.10.1968) This discovery of imagination, Neville called
> God’s “Promise. There is nothing any person can do to earn it. It is
> sheer Grace and comes in its own good time.”
> On 13 Nov., 18:56, Molly Brogan <mbro...@mollybroganenterprises.com>
> wrote:
> > It was Will Rogers that said: If you want to be successful, know what
> > you are doing, love what you are doing, and believe in what you are
> > doing.
> > But what does it mean “to do.” Why do we so often feel compelled to
> > do something? Merriam Webster tells us that do means to cause, to
> > make, to bring to pass, to perform, to execute and to conduct
> > oneself. But how do we know what to do? When is it better to do
> > nothing?
> > The concept of self-efficacy is the focal point of Albert Bandura's
> > social cognitive theory. Self-efficacy plays the central role in the
> > cognitive regulation of motivation, because people regulate the level
> > and the distribution of effort they will expend in accordance with the
> > effects they are expecting.
> > So there is a necessary confidence in doing because doing is expressed
> > in the perception of the principal aim of life as accomplishing things
> > mainly for the good of both the individual and society. When is it
> > right to do nothing, to just let it be? Being is mainly directed at
> > the individual’s cultivation and development of his personality (Erich
> > Fromm). Perhaps the answer is not to choose, but to recognize being in
> > the midst of doing. This requires the understanding that Doing and
> > Being are a profound pair of complementary qualities in human
> > existence.
> > The Christian mystic Neville Goddard believed that the only thing to
> > do is imagine: “If you imagine a state, remain faithful to it, and it
> > externalizes itself, you have found the creator of the world for by
> > him all things are made and without imagination is not anything made
> > that is made. When you discover how to make something, you have found
> > him of whom Moses and the prophets wrote, your own wonderful human
> > imagination, the Everlasting Sustainer of all life. (Neville Goddard
> > No Other God 5.10.1968) This discovery of imagination, Neville called
> > God’s “Promise. There is nothing any person can do to earn it. It is
> > sheer Grace and comes in its own good time.”
> > What do YOU think?- Zitierten Text ausblenden -
Hume was perhaps the best writer on imagination. I'd be inclined to
say we have been sustained by fantasies rather than imagination.
Comments have been made about the Owl of Minerva flying only in grey
light.
On 13 Nov, 18:51, frantheman <francis.h...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> > > It was Will Rogers that said: If you want to be successful, know what
> > > you are doing, love what you are doing, and believe in what you are
> > > doing.
> > > But what does it mean “to do.” Why do we so often feel compelled to
> > > do something? Merriam Webster tells us that do means to cause, to
> > > make, to bring to pass, to perform, to execute and to conduct
> > > oneself. But how do we know what to do? When is it better to do
> > > nothing?
> > > The concept of self-efficacy is the focal point of Albert Bandura's
> > > social cognitive theory. Self-efficacy plays the central role in the
> > > cognitive regulation of motivation, because people regulate the level
> > > and the distribution of effort they will expend in accordance with the
> > > effects they are expecting.
> > > So there is a necessary confidence in doing because doing is expressed
> > > in the perception of the principal aim of life as accomplishing things
> > > mainly for the good of both the individual and society. When is it
> > > right to do nothing, to just let it be? Being is mainly directed at
> > > the individual’s cultivation and development of his personality (Erich
> > > Fromm). Perhaps the answer is not to choose, but to recognize being in
> > > the midst of doing. This requires the understanding that Doing and
> > > Being are a profound pair of complementary qualities in human
> > > existence.
> > > The Christian mystic Neville Goddard believed that the only thing to
> > > do is imagine: “If you imagine a state, remain faithful to it, and it
> > > externalizes itself, you have found the creator of the world for by
> > > him all things are made and without imagination is not anything made
> > > that is made. When you discover how to make something, you have found
> > > him of whom Moses and the prophets wrote, your own wonderful human
> > > imagination, the Everlasting Sustainer of all life. (Neville Goddard
> > > No Other God 5.10.1968) This discovery of imagination, Neville called
> > > God’s “Promise. There is nothing any person can do to earn it. It is
> > > sheer Grace and comes in its own good time.”
> > > What do YOU think?- Zitierten Text ausblenden -
> > - Zitierten Text anzeigen -- Hide quoted text -
To do or not to do that is the question. To be compelled to always do
something may be the result of the society in which one lives. In NY
it seemed as though doing something was the standard while in the
southern belt taking it easy and afternoon siesta is the norm, also
prevalent in Italy and Spain. I make it a point to take at least 3
days per week to do whatever I want or nothing at all because it feeds
the soul. To do nothing is as important as doing something. We can't
make things happen in life so the best thing to do is let life happen.
It is said, "Expect the Unexpected" and how true it is. The best laid
plans of mice and men. If my artistic nature beckons me I just submit
to the calling and the result is usually a tangible form of my
imagination. I never take life too seriously for I know that it is
all just a simple illusion of which I only share a small portion of
through the duration of my life. Ecclesiastes tells us that whatever
we do or accomplish ultimately becomes part of someones life after we
have passed on. On this I agree as I have created so many landscape
dreamscapes at the many homes I no longer occupy and now I can only
see that someone will be enjoying the fruits of my labor at my current
residence once I have moved on. So I try to be the recipient of all
that I do as much as is possible, recipient being me and my immediate
loved ones. I don't buy into all the illusions of life, not in the
material sense. Life is not here on planet earth. I will continue to
do whatever I want to do as long as I can do what I want to do with
the freedom to do so. Well I want to do something else now so I'll
talk to you later Molly!
On Nov 13, 11:56 am, Molly Brogan <mbro...@mollybroganenterprises.com>
wrote:
> It was Will Rogers that said: If you want to be successful, know what
> you are doing, love what you are doing, and believe in what you are
> doing.
> But what does it mean “to do.” Why do we so often feel compelled to
> do something? Merriam Webster tells us that do means to cause, to
> make, to bring to pass, to perform, to execute and to conduct
> oneself. But how do we know what to do? When is it better to do
> nothing?
> The concept of self-efficacy is the focal point of Albert Bandura's
> social cognitive theory. Self-efficacy plays the central role in the
> cognitive regulation of motivation, because people regulate the level
> and the distribution of effort they will expend in accordance with the
> effects they are expecting.
> So there is a necessary confidence in doing because doing is expressed
> in the perception of the principal aim of life as accomplishing things
> mainly for the good of both the individual and society. When is it
> right to do nothing, to just let it be? Being is mainly directed at
> the individual’s cultivation and development of his personality (Erich
> Fromm). Perhaps the answer is not to choose, but to recognize being in
> the midst of doing. This requires the understanding that Doing and
> Being are a profound pair of complementary qualities in human
> existence.
> The Christian mystic Neville Goddard believed that the only thing to
> do is imagine: “If you imagine a state, remain faithful to it, and it
> externalizes itself, you have found the creator of the world for by
> him all things are made and without imagination is not anything made
> that is made. When you discover how to make something, you have found
> him of whom Moses and the prophets wrote, your own wonderful human
> imagination, the Everlasting Sustainer of all life. (Neville Goddard
> No Other God 5.10.1968) This discovery of imagination, Neville called
> God’s “Promise. There is nothing any person can do to earn it. It is
> sheer Grace and comes in its own good time.”
It sounds like you have found a harmony with being and doing, Slip.
There is freedom there. I can't say that I always feel total harmony,
there always seems to be a greater harmony to move into for me, and
when I do, always more after that. But I think that we are born here
to participate. My natural inclination is to draw myself in and
explore the more subtle levels of life. Writing accommodates this
tendency. But life has a way of calling me back into group and
community. For me the trick is to allow what comes up to lead, and to
add myself to the mixture as best I can. I have been blessed over the
years, to participate in national movements although usually my
"doing" is smaller, state, county, city, village. For the first time
in many years my daily activity is reaching only family. I am just
beginning to catch the first wave of global participation through my
writing. I write and connect with my readers through more writing.
But this is only what can be seen from the outside.
And, because I believe that life is an inside out process, the
evidence of my global participation (book sales) seems to me to
reflect the more important internal processes of connecting to the
soul of humanity and beyond. This requires active being. For me,
doing begins when I ride the wave...
On Nov 15, 9:08 pm, Slip Disc <bug...@gmail.com> wrote:
> To do or not to do that is the question. To be compelled to always do
> something may be the result of the society in which one lives. In NY
> it seemed as though doing something was the standard while in the
> southern belt taking it easy and afternoon siesta is the norm, also
> prevalent in Italy and Spain. I make it a point to take at least 3
> days per week to do whatever I want or nothing at all because it feeds
> the soul. To do nothing is as important as doing something. We can't
> make things happen in life so the best thing to do is let life happen.
> It is said, "Expect the Unexpected" and how true it is. The best laid
> plans of mice and men. If my artistic nature beckons me I just submit
> to the calling and the result is usually a tangible form of my
> imagination. I never take life too seriously for I know that it is
> all just a simple illusion of which I only share a small portion of
> through the duration of my life. Ecclesiastes tells us that whatever
> we do or accomplish ultimately becomes part of someones life after we
> have passed on. On this I agree as I have created so many landscape
> dreamscapes at the many homes I no longer occupy and now I can only
> see that someone will be enjoying the fruits of my labor at my current
> residence once I have moved on. So I try to be the recipient of all
> that I do as much as is possible, recipient being me and my immediate
> loved ones. I don't buy into all the illusions of life, not in the
> material sense. Life is not here on planet earth. I will continue to
> do whatever I want to do as long as I can do what I want to do with
> the freedom to do so. Well I want to do something else now so I'll
> talk to you later Molly!
> On Nov 13, 11:56 am, Molly Brogan <mbro...@mollybroganenterprises.com>
> wrote:
> > It was Will Rogers that said: If you want to be successful, know what
> > you are doing, love what you are doing, and believe in what you are
> > doing.
> > But what does it mean “to do.” Why do we so often feel compelled to
> > do something? Merriam Webster tells us that do means to cause, to
> > make, to bring to pass, to perform, to execute and to conduct
> > oneself. But how do we know what to do? When is it better to do
> > nothing?
> > The concept of self-efficacy is the focal point of Albert Bandura's
> > social cognitive theory. Self-efficacy plays the central role in the
> > cognitive regulation of motivation, because people regulate the level
> > and the distribution of effort they will expend in accordance with the
> > effects they are expecting.
> > So there is a necessary confidence in doing because doing is expressed
> > in the perception of the principal aim of life as accomplishing things
> > mainly for the good of both the individual and society. When is it
> > right to do nothing, to just let it be? Being is mainly directed at
> > the individual’s cultivation and development of his personality (Erich
> > Fromm). Perhaps the answer is not to choose, but to recognize being in
> > the midst of doing. This requires the understanding that Doing and
> > Being are a profound pair of complementary qualities in human
> > existence.
> > The Christian mystic Neville Goddard believed that the only thing to
> > do is imagine: “If you imagine a state, remain faithful to it, and it
> > externalizes itself, you have found the creator of the world for by
> > him all things are made and without imagination is not anything made
> > that is made. When you discover how to make something, you have found
> > him of whom Moses and the prophets wrote, your own wonderful human
> > imagination, the Everlasting Sustainer of all life. (Neville Goddard
> > No Other God 5.10.1968) This discovery of imagination, Neville called
> > God’s “Promise. There is nothing any person can do to earn it. It is
> > sheer Grace and comes in its own good time.”
At best, being and doing are one. I must admit immediately that I
don't manage this nearly often enough. I think that if we are really
rooted in ourselves, in our own centre, our "doing" flows from this,
is the active expression of our being. So maybe, "do be do be do"
isn't so far off the mark after all. :-)
In everyday life, I often find myself faced - at times almost
overwhelmed - with demands for action, or, more correctly, probably,
reaction. It is not always easy in the normal craziness and hectic of
living in our manic world to remind oneself that the demands on one
are the consequences of the choices one has made oneself, consequences
which were often unseen or unplanned, but nevertheless parts of
processes for which we ourselves are responsible. In such situations I
find it helpful to "zen" it, to centre myself in myself and do what is
to be done. The doing flowing from my own being - its active
expression. I frequently don't succeed in this, of course, but I find
the exercise very positive - and a great way for dealing with
situations I would otherwise experience as purely stressful. It also
helps me to make concrete judgements about what really needs to be
done - if anything. Much of what drives our world is blind actionism -
it doesn't usually help and is often harmful. That's what I like about
the term from the Buddhist tradition: RIGHT action!
Francis
On 16 Nov., 17:08, Molly Brogan <mbro...@mollybroganenterprises.com>
wrote:
> It sounds like you have found a harmony with being and doing, Slip.
> There is freedom there. I can't say that I always feel total harmony,
> there always seems to be a greater harmony to move into for me, and
> when I do, always more after that. But I think that we are born here
> to participate. My natural inclination is to draw myself in and
> explore the more subtle levels of life. Writing accommodates this
> tendency. But life has a way of calling me back into group and
> community. For me the trick is to allow what comes up to lead, and to
> add myself to the mixture as best I can. I have been blessed over the
> years, to participate in national movements although usually my
> "doing" is smaller, state, county, city, village. For the first time
> in many years my daily activity is reaching only family. I am just
> beginning to catch the first wave of global participation through my
> writing. I write and connect with my readers through more writing.
> But this is only what can be seen from the outside.
> And, because I believe that life is an inside out process, the
> evidence of my global participation (book sales) seems to me to
> reflect the more important internal processes of connecting to the
> soul of humanity and beyond. This requires active being. For me,
> doing begins when I ride the wave...
> On Nov 15, 9:08 pm, Slip Disc <bug...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > You might want to ask Scoobie Doo. lol
> > To do or not to do that is the question. To be compelled to always do
> > something may be the result of the society in which one lives. In NY
> > it seemed as though doing something was the standard while in the
> > southern belt taking it easy and afternoon siesta is the norm, also
> > prevalent in Italy and Spain. I make it a point to take at least 3
> > days per week to do whatever I want or nothing at all because it feeds
> > the soul. To do nothing is as important as doing something. We can't
> > make things happen in life so the best thing to do is let life happen.
> > It is said, "Expect the Unexpected" and how true it is. The best laid
> > plans of mice and men. If my artistic nature beckons me I just submit
> > to the calling and the result is usually a tangible form of my
> > imagination. I never take life too seriously for I know that it is
> > all just a simple illusion of which I only share a small portion of
> > through the duration of my life. Ecclesiastes tells us that whatever
> > we do or accomplish ultimately becomes part of someones life after we
> > have passed on. On this I agree as I have created so many landscape
> > dreamscapes at the many homes I no longer occupy and now I can only
> > see that someone will be enjoying the fruits of my labor at my current
> > residence once I have moved on. So I try to be the recipient of all
> > that I do as much as is possible, recipient being me and my immediate
> > loved ones. I don't buy into all the illusions of life, not in the
> > material sense. Life is not here on planet earth. I will continue to
> > do whatever I want to do as long as I can do what I want to do with
> > the freedom to do so. Well I want to do something else now so I'll
> > talk to you later Molly!
> > On Nov 13, 11:56 am, Molly Brogan <mbro...@mollybroganenterprises.com>
> > wrote:
> > > It was Will Rogers that said: If you want to be successful, know what
> > > you are doing, love what you are doing, and believe in what you are
> > > doing.
> > > But what does it mean “to do.” Why do we so often feel compelled to
> > > do something? Merriam Webster tells us that do means to cause, to
> > > make, to bring to pass, to perform, to execute and to conduct
> > > oneself. But how do we know what to do? When is it better to do
> > > nothing?
> > > The concept of self-efficacy is the focal point of Albert Bandura's
> > > social cognitive theory. Self-efficacy plays the central role in the
> > > cognitive regulation of motivation, because people regulate the level
> > > and the distribution of effort they will expend in accordance with the
> > > effects they are expecting.
> > > So there is a necessary confidence in doing because doing is expressed
> > > in the perception of the principal aim of life as accomplishing things
> > > mainly for the good of both the individual and society. When is it
> > > right to do nothing, to just let it be? Being is mainly directed at
> > > the individual’s cultivation and development of his personality (Erich
> > > Fromm). Perhaps the answer is not to choose, but to recognize being in
> > > the midst of doing. This requires the understanding that Doing and
> > > Being are a profound pair of complementary qualities in human
> > > existence.
> > > The Christian mystic Neville Goddard believed that the only thing to
> > > do is imagine: “If you imagine a state, remain faithful to it, and it
> > > externalizes itself, you have found the creator of the world for by
> > > him all things are made and without imagination is not anything made
> > > that is made. When you discover how to make something, you have found
> > > him of whom Moses and the prophets wrote, your own wonderful human
> > > imagination, the Everlasting Sustainer of all life. (Neville Goddard
> > > No Other God 5.10.1968) This discovery of imagination, Neville called
> > > God’s “Promise. There is nothing any person can do to earn it. It is
> > > sheer Grace and comes in its own good time.”
> > > What do YOU think?- Zitierten Text ausblenden -
Molly, personal experience has taught me that your core question is
best answered by saying that doing nothing is pretty much the best
solution most of the time. I have been prevented from doing what I
wanted to do many many times in my life and I have to say that
overall, doing nothing turned out to be the best response in most
cases.
When people, including me, do take action it is most often based in
emotion of some sort which is probably the worst basis for any action.
"Much of what drives our world is blind actionism -
it doesn't usually help and is often harmful."
I think this is true, action based on personal agenda or ego is much
of what can be seen. It is refreshing to find folks who can act and
respond from a place beyond their own need or:
"action it is most often based in emotion" which is different (I
think) than action based on a feeling like love or compassion. If we
base our actions on emotion, or the patterns of feeling stored in our
ego based on past experience, I agree gruff, it most often leads to
confusion of some sort.
So what is the optimal basis for action? Efficacy, it would seem, has
much to do with knowing this. If you have confidence enough in your
self and responses, you are more likely to make an effort to act in
any given situation.
I am looking for clarity here, not sure of the answers myself. I tend
to agree with Neville, that finding my place of awakened imagination
and envisioning, feeling and desiring circumstances that fit my
highest potential and the greater good will create this experience in
my life. Will it change the world? Don't know, it may play a small
role in the evolution of the world - the whole enlightened few of one
generation giving way to the enlightenment of the next generation
thing.... but under these circumstances I might not notice the world
changing in my lifetime. Will it change my life - certainly, as this
process, if it becomes my modus operandi, changes my responses,
actions, relations, opportunities, possibilities and everything about
me.
On Nov 16, 12:58 pm, gruff <trader...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Molly, personal experience has taught me that your core question is
> best answered by saying that doing nothing is pretty much the best
> solution most of the time. I have been prevented from doing what I
> wanted to do many many times in my life and I have to say that
> overall, doing nothing turned out to be the best response in most
> cases.
> When people, including me, do take action it is most often based in
> emotion of some sort which is probably the worst basis for any action.
