One Apple A Day #197
Reflections on the 12 questions.
Question #04: To Be Or To Do?
This is a tricky question. In the article, the dilemma is choosing if being among the ones who just pretend or among the doers, the ones that make things happen.
Flipping the point of view we can also think about the difference of focusing on our external actions forgetting who we are.
I believe that being and doing are interconnected. The being is about your purpose, values and beliefs. If your actions are aligned with your inner values, they will be more powerful and effective. If they are not, you won’t commit thoroughly, and the results will be weak. At the same time, your actions are always the reflections of your commitment. You can be aware of it or not, but it is there. Observing your actions you can gain awareness of your commitments and the underlying beliefs defining them. You can then decide if these beliefs are empowering your or not, and decide to keep them or change them. And change your beliefs require you to take actions.
Being and doing are connected in a continuous loop in which one feeds the other. The being is spinning on an inner orbit, the doing on the outer one.
If they are spinning in the same direction, you can gain momentum and achieve incredible results. But if they are not spinning in the same direction they will create frictions between them, slowing you down and causing you stress and unsatisfaction.
Most of the time we are not aware of this loop, and we go through life unconsciously. It is ok as long as they are spinning in sync empowering us. But the moment something affect the orbit or the direction of one of the who, like an external event impacting on your doing or a circumstance challenging your being, you may enter a vicious circle in which the doing and being both act against each other, depleting your energies and your motivation. In the end, you find yourself drained and exhausted.
Gaining awareness of your being is the key. It can be done from within, through practices that help you discover your purpose, values and beliefs. It can also be done from the outside, learning to observe your actions and their alignment to what you believe. And become conscious of your feelings and how your body reacts.
You’re probably going to use both approaches but, no matter from where you start, what is important is to increase your self-awareness so you can keep your being and doing aligned.