Thinking Too Much?

I heard once, “strive to be a thinker, but don’t let thinking be your goal.” That phrase sounds paradoxical, but as I have come to learn from my own trial and error as well as studying the experience of others, when thinking itself becomes the aim, not a whole lot gets accomplished. After all, greatest plans in the world are only as good as the extent to which they are followed.

Early on in life, I learned critical thinking skills. In college, I had a wonderful professor who taught me how to reason more efficiently and to analyze more effectively. I began to understand how to ignore meaningless “noise” and focus on the variables of utmost importance. I would characterize myself as a good “thinker” and, as a self-proclaimed nerd, I have learned to be comfortable in that role. Heck, I’ve even come to enjoy learning and studying, something I’m sure my mother would have never guessed would happen.

But what I have also learned is that a good doer beats a great thinker every time and reasonable but decisive execution always supersedes a perfect plan poorly executed. Great thinking without being manifest into appropriate action is like a stillborn child: carrying all the DNA, physiological systems and organs to thrive, yet it is tragically lifeless.

Execution is often my struggle. I let too many great ideas and lofty ambitions starve in my mind. I will continue to strive to be a thinker but must remind myself thinking can never be the end goal or the objective. I must not allow myself to be caught so deep in thought my actions are shallow.

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