Action Through Inaction

Entrepreneur.com:

I’ve been studying Tai Chi and Qigong for the past year and it’s been helpful for me both mentally and physically to learn to relax my body and calm my mind in new ways. My instructor often quotes Lao Tse’s concept of action through inaction, which sounds simple but is actually quite challenging.

As a beginner, we learn individual pieces of the form, but we don’t yet quite realize how they all fit together. We practice the simplest moves until they become habit, flowing seamlessly like a piece of kelp in the ocean or a ribbon in the wind.

The more I train, the more I realize how many applicable lessons from Tai Chi and Qigong there are for entrepreneurs to embrace.

• Warm up before you start something new and practice longer than you want to or think you need to. Even the masters practice their lessons, which is why and how they’ve mastered their craft.
• Having diversity enriches your experience. Different people bring new perspectives based on their background and knowledge.
• There is time to meditate, breathe deeply and stretch. You can find small pockets of time standing in line, waiting at a stop light or sitting in a reception area.
• Get outside your comfort zone. Stretch your body and your mind. Even though I’m still a beginner, attending the more advanced classes gives me great insight into my training and my goals.
• Leave every encounter with a smile. It will carry with you throughout the day.

Remember that there is action through inaction so not doing is also doing something.

Photo by ziga-zaga.

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