Meditations for Mortals - week two, day eight

Meditations for Mortals (by Oliver Burkeman): A 4 week/28 day series with dailyish posts about the book
Week two - taking action

DAY EIGHT
Decision-hunting
On choosing a path through the woods

On day eight, Burkeman summarizes week one for us: we explored facing the truth about our finitude — because when we do, it gets easier to spend time on what we truly care about, rather than trying to do everything, or to do it all perfectly.

This week Burkeman invites us to take imperfect action. Let’s go!

He suggests we go looking for a decision that could be made — and then make it. I read this chapter last night and again this morning, and now I’m already thinking of all my imperfect-plan ideas. One involves a Fulbright. Another: working on solo flute repertoire that I can perform. Both seem… actually pretty reasonable and doable.

After reading Burkeman’s prompt to consider “who would have good advice or help further the conversation,” I sent a message about one of them. Progress.

However now I feel uncomfortable, with all kinds of doubts and questions arise: aren’t I too old to do Fulbright? Here we go with the composer thing again, isn’t it too late to do that? Isn’t it easier to just keep going with what’s familiar? So what if I get a little grumpy because I’m not jumping in on these ideas? Maybe that’s something to listen to, I guess…

Burkeman writes,

Indecision can feel so oddly comfortable: it’s a form of postponement, a temporary avoidance…put differently, it’s a way of trying to dodge the inevitability of consequences. To make a decision - any decision is to take ownership of the situation instead. It’s acknowledging your presence in the kayak, instead of fantasizing about super yachts.

(Hello, day 2).

Ah yes, the kayak, and a reminder of the currents and possible whiplash of being in one. I’ve done a lot of kayak-type risks in my life so far. But as I get a little older I start wondering if it’s just better to enjoy and embrace the super yacht calling my name.

Then again… I might not feel as alive?

The chapter finishes with a nod to Frost’s The Road Not Taken. Burkeman reminds us if the speaker hadn’t taken a conscious path, they would’ve taken an unconscious one instead — stuck in the fork, frozen in ambivalence.

So I’ll wait to see if I get a reply to that message I sent this morning. And in the meantime? I’ll start working on some solo flute music for myself. That, I can definitely begin today.

Thoughts:

What could you take imperfect action on today?