The Impact Of Small, Swift Movement

There are,

In theory or in fact,

Some actions which are meant to be done in one swift motion.

Try to pour a teacup of water into another empty teacup,

Without using any kind of spout,

Funnel or chute.

You have to dump it all in one quick motion.

Perhaps,

As children,

You may have first realized this,

But if you try to pour it slowly,

Even if your aim and trajectory is spot on,

The water will dribble down the side of the cup in your hand,

And you'll end up with a puddle on the table or on the floor,

And little to none inside of the cup you've intended the liquid for.

Just as in this example,

Sometimes it is necessary to use force,

Which you can create with speed.

In other words,

Sometimes it is necessary to complete the action quickly.

These actions,

Meant to be completed in a definite amount of time,

Are like frames in a timeline.

The sequence of frames form the narrative of your story.

Try to snap your fingers slowly.

Really,

Go ahead and try.

Does it sound like this?

I'm sorry,

That's not a snap.

Snaps sound like this.

You must do it quickly.

Try to spring up and touch the ceiling without that quick push.

Try to remove your hand from a hot stove,

But slowly.

Actually,

Don't try that,

Please.

My point is,

Life is a series of snaps.

These actions,

Meant to be completed in a definite time in a snap,

Are comparable to particles as opposed to waves in the field of physical science,

And our lifetimes are comprised of them.

The seeming contradiction on the opposite end of the spectrum is that life,

As some know it,

Is a process,

A long and endless journey not confined to the boundaries of time.

To those who exist in this understanding,

Here,

Life functions like that of a wave.

Life ebbs and flows.

Seconds to minutes to hours to days to weeks to months.

To seasons to years to decades to death to life again.

Inside the process that is a lifetime,

These particular actions,

These snaps,

Can exist as a string or sequence of infinitesimal actions following the forward arrow of time.

The snaps in succession create the undulating flowing,

Wave-like experience that is consciousness.

Think about sunlight,

The life-bringer of each day.

In physics,

We know sunlight to be both wave-like and particulate in nature.

Sunlight is like the life that's present in our bodies.

This is the seeming contradiction that we have to work with in our understanding and navigation of life.

With sunlight as consciousness,

We have the particle and the wave,

The snap and the process.

What does that mean for us?

Well,

What does it mean for you when I say that you can decide how fast you go in order to make a big impact in your current situation?

In order to make the small moves really count?

In physics,

The equation for force is mass multiplied times velocity.

Velocity is another word for speed plus direction.

You can't always affect the mass of an object,

But in many cases,

You can manipulate and determine its speed a little more readily.

Let's bring back the equation for force and some more definitions from the field of physics.

Force is described as an interaction that causes change.

Energy is sometimes known as the ability to do work.

How do these ideas connect?

If you want to create change,

Make an impact,

You have to use force using the energy present within you.

Force here is the mass or weight of the action multiplied by the velocity or the time it takes to complete it,

Plus the direction or the intention behind that action.

Within this equation,

The faster you go,

The more force,

Even if the action is small.

There exist some actions which are meant to be done all at once,

But don't confuse the particle for the wave.

If the problem or situation is too big for you to grapple with all at once,

Or if the journey is too long for you to reach the end at your own arm's length,

Shift your focus.

Instead,

Of staring longingly into the distance at the ideal person that you ultimately hope to become,

Or shaking a fist at that ever distant mountaintop that you just can't reach yet,

Focus your energy,

Your ability,

On finding the small particles of the process that are within your grasp.

Focus on the smallest possible movement that you can make,

The slightest flick of the wrist or steady foothold,

The smallest real impact you can make,

And the smallest task that you can complete from where you stand,

And use your energy to do it with urgency.

Then reflect and be honest.

Did you fail to complete the task?

Then think smaller,

My friend,

And try again.

On to the next small,

But significant task that you can complete in one swift motion.

Now,

Did you succeed?

Yeah,

You did.

I know you totally nailed it.

Now,

Like a child in wisdom,

Dump that water from one cup to another and don't be afraid to make a splash.

Revel in it.

Celebrate the splash.

Smile at that stranger or coworker.

Grab a hold of your sketchbook in one hand and your pencil in the other.

Raise up your hand to volunteer,

To be the first to present.

Place your hand on your heart instead of upon your vice.

Try on that outfit or those accessories that make you feel beautiful,

Even if just in a changing room,

Even if just on Photoshop.

Take that first sip of cool,

Clean water in the morning.

It's sacred each small profit,

And pay your debts one cent at a time.

Say hello to that person,

Even though you may have a novel's worth of words that you want to share with them.

If there's a space open in front of you,

Step forward and take up that space.

Again,

And again,

And again.

Take each tiny task and knock it absolutely,

Absolutely out of the park.

Hit it with everything you've got in you.

What do you care about?

What are you devoted to?

What path are you on and what wave are you riding or afraid of riding?

Because the road seems too long.

Make an impact right now.

Change happens in a snap.

And even better,

It all flows naturally from within you.

Thank you,

Thank you,

Thank you to all my listeners and followers.

Your support means the world to me.

This is a new thing I'm trying,

So please feel free to leave me feedback and a rating on this talk.

Thanks again and have an amazing day.