What Are You Thinking?
Put on your thinking cap. It’s time for a quick pop quiz. But this test will be easy. It has only one simple question. Here it is ...
What is the ancestor of every action?
Before you answer, here’s a clue: This thing is also the seed of every emotion, belief, attitude, and expectation you’ve ever had. Here’s another clue: The answer is revealed in a cool quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
(Hot tip from the Almighty: If you want to be taken seriously as a poet, novelist or philosopher, be sure to use a middle name. Think about it. Ralph Emerson sounds like a guy you go bowling with on Tuesday nights. But Ralph Waldo Emerson ... now that’s the name of a deep thinker.)
Speaking of thinking, that’s your answer. (See, I told you this quiz would be easy.)
Here is Ralph’s quote ...
“The ancestor of every action is a thought.”
Mr. Emerson was on to something with that idea. And it makes perfect sense.
For instance, the last time you ran up to the Piggly Wiggly to grab a sandwich or a six-pack, that action was preceded by a thought. Probably something like, “Man, it’s 3 o’clock in the afternoon and the only thing I’ve eaten so far today is a stale Pop-Tart.”
Or “I better pick up some beer for the big Glee marathon this weekend.”
Based on that thought – no matter how elegant or nonsensical the thought was – you decided to take action. Hence, Ralph Waldo’s brilliant realization that humans often think about things before they do things.
(Hey, I didn’t say these principles had to be revolutionary to be profound, did I?)
