Action is the antidote to despair.
Joan Baez
MEANING OF THIS QUOTE
The human mind is incredibly dependent on hope, mostly in ways that can leave us dumbfounded. When we are upbeat, we have the power to move mountains. Take that hope away from us, and we hardly have enough motivation to lift a finger. Believe it or not, our worldview – our emotions – are what determine the course of our lives. And these emotions depend on what we take from a given experience. Despair will dominate your thought process if you are someone who will focus on failure itself rather than drawing the right lessons from it. On the other hand, when you turn your attention to solutions instead of problems, you automatically embrace an optimistic outlook.
WHAT IS A SOLUTION-ORIENTED OUTLOOK?
A person determined to resolve the issues keeping them from making progress has already won half the battle, for they have already overcome the mental hurdle that can lead them into believing that there is no way out. By doing mental calculations and making plans for the road ahead, they make friends with what is arguably the biggest enemy of despair – action. This state of decision-making and activity keeps them moving forward, helping them in two ways:
- They are no longer fixated on their issues; their mind is already working out the plans to course-correct and get back on track.
- By planning and working on their next course of action, they make sure they keep moving toward their goals.
CAN ALL SORT OF ACTIVITY REMEDY DESPAIR?
Unfortunately, no. Your action should be constructive and in keeping with your goals. For instance, a person who takes to drinking after suffering heavy losses in their business is in no way helping their situation. On the other hand, a level-headed individual will calmly reflect on the problem at hand and take constructive action to redress it.
CONCLUSION
With the right amount of dedication and hard work, you can overcome any obstacles in life. Setbacks are part and parcel of life. You can either choose to keep thinking about them and work your way into depression, or you can take it as a lesson and go back to the drawing board. It is this outlook that can make or break a person’s life.
Joan Chandos Baez, popularly known as Joan Baez, is an American singer and songwriter. Baez is well known for her quote: “Action is the antidote to despair.”