We often think of choice as a thing. But a choice is not a thing. Our options may be things, but a choice—a choice is an action. It is not just something we have but something we do.
Interpretation
Choice is an action rather than a mere possession of options.
In this quote, Greg McKeown emphasizes the distinction between having options and making choices. He suggests that while we may be presented with various options in life, the act of choosing is what truly defines us. It's not enough to simply have multiple paths available; it is the deliberate action of making a choice that shapes our experiences and outcomes.
In practice
During a motivational speech to inspire people to take charge of their lives.
The way of the Essentialist means living by design, not by default. Instead of making choices reactively, the Essentialist deliberately distinguishes the vital few from the trivial many, eliminates the non-essentials, and then removes obstacles so the essential things have clear, smooth passage. In other words, Essentialism is a disciplined, systematic approach for determining where our highest point of contribution lies, then making execution of those things almost effortless.
Essentialism is not about how to get more things done, it's about how to the get the right things done. It doesn't mean just doing less for the sake of less either. It is about making the wisest possible investment of your time and energy in order to operate at our highest point of contribution by doing only what is essential.
Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.
Because of lack of moral principle, human life becomes worthless. Moral principle, truthfulness, is a key factor. If we lose that, then there is no future.
Let us repeat the two crucial negative premises as established firmly by all human experience: (1) Words are not the things we are speaking about; and (2) There is no such thing as an object in absolute isolation.
a samurai is a total human being, whereas a man who is completely absorbed in his technical skill has degenerated into a ‘function’, one cog in a machine.
To the ego, the present moment hardly exists. Only past and future are considered important.
We are an impossibility in an impossible universe.
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