Taking Notice or Taking Action

by Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine



“It is easy sitting up and taking notice. What is difficult is getting up and taking action.”   
—Honore de Balzac

French novelist Balzac may have been having a difficult time with his New Year resolutions when this thought came to mind. Many of us are thinking the same thing as well here early in January. We have taken stock but have yet to move on the idea.

Let’s take stock of our accomplishments in 2013. What were your key ones? What could you have done better? For that matter what have you done in your life that changed your life? What could you do that would change your life dramatically? What are your key goals in 2014?

George Bernard Shaw

Taking notice is easy but many fail to do so. We need to take time to take stock of where we are and see if we have made progress as to where we are going or want to go. It is time to measure.

George Bernard Shaw once said:

“The only man I know who behaves sensibly is my tailor; he takes my measurements anew each time he sees me. The rest go on with their old measurements and expect me to fit them.”

We too have grown in our skills. We must take measure of our accomplishments and what that  has changed in our lives to move on. We have stretched our mind, our skills and our abilities to
take on new and bigger things in our lives. 

David facing Goliath thought back to his prior accomplishments before tackling the giant. David remembered conquering the lion and the bear and knew he could beat the giant. We should do the same. What have you conquered in the past that has prepared you for what is ahead.

Three frogs were setting on a log and one decided to jump. How many frogs are sitting on a log? The answer is three. The one was merely taking notice. You must take action! You must JUMP in 2014!