Action Over Feelings (Audio)
A Podcast Interview with Gregg Krech, author of The Art of Taking Action: Lessons from Japanese Psychology
By Brett McKay, The Art of Manliness
We often associate Eastern spiritual and philosophical traditions with meditation and contemplation. There’s another side to this wisdom that centers on action and can help us move through depression, anxiety, fear, and just general malaise.
Brett’s guest today is the author of a book about this action-oriented philosophy. His name is Gregg Krech, he’s a leading expert on Japanese Psychology, and the author of several books including, The Art of Taking Action: Lessons from Japanese Psychology.
Today on the show, Brett and Gregg discuss a Japanese psychological technique called Morita therapy, which concentrates on accepting our thoughts and feelings rather than fixing them. And then taking action while coexisting with our fear, anxiety, shyness, or whatever else has been holding us back. They discuss:
- how action can be a powerful antidote to depression, anxiety, and interpersonal conflicts,
- how to act when you don’t feel like it,
- how to stay motivated when the initial rush of a new project or relationship has worn off, and;
- why it’s better to have a purpose-driven rather than a feelings-driven life.
They end the conversation unpacking the idea that busyness is not the same thing as purposeful action, and why we need self-reflection to tell the difference between the two.
For more information on overcoming procrastination, Morita Therapy and Kaizen, check out Gregg’s best selling book on Amazon
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Tags: Audio
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