• 30 day program
• 24/7 access
• Go at your own pace
• Daily reflection exercises
• Online video, audio and readings
• The Art of Taking Action: Lessons from Japanese Psychology by Gregg Krech
• Camaraderie of a global community
• 16 credits toward Certification in Japanese Psychology

“Much appreciation for making this course available. I made great strides and knew that the course was laying a foundation for a long term commitment. And, I’m very pleased that I have new tools to use when faced with a project. I found this work to affect all the other things in my life. I’m more energized in my life in general.”

—Lynn A, San Marcos, TX

About the Program

Do you have something important that remains unfinished? Here’s a chance to turn your plan into reality. Using methods from Morita Therapy (The Psychology of Action) you’ll have the support, encouragement, and guidance you need to overcome practical and psychological obstacles and accomplish something that becomes part of your life and legacy. Whether you’re still in the idea stage, or stuck somewhere along the way, this program can help you to take action and move forward in the real world.

When we conduct Morita Therapy workshops, we usually ask participants to introduce themselves by reflecting on their three most important accomplishments of the past year. The vast majority of people have trouble identifying three important accomplishments. Mostly, we’re just caught up in staying afloat and that pushes many of our dreams and meaningful goals into exile.

Now is the time to bring those dreams and goals back home so that you can turn around, at the end of the year, and see your important accomplishments planted in your personal history. This is a chance to grab the reins, and dedicate yourself to something that is important to you and that will add satisfaction, pride, joy and meaning to your life.

The program includes three different components:

• AN EXPERIENTIAL COMPONENT – with daily guidance, you will make steady progress on your project;
• AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT – through supportive resources, you will study the art of taking action;
• A COMMUNITY COMPONENT – through the online discussion, you will have a change to engage with participants from around the world.

What our Participants Are Saying

“I learned the satisfaction of sticking to my goal even if I spent only 5 or 10 minutes on it. What kept me going was commitment to this course. And when, around day 4, I called myself a dilletante and thought my time would be better spent cleaning my office, Linda reminded me that this was only one month and had I chosen to clean my office during this month, I probably would have decided it was an unworthy goal right around day 4 or 5. She was right on. Thank you! ”

— Viv M, Seattle WA

“Thanks to everyone who was involved in creating and sustaining this course! Thanks for the structure and fantastic resources, and the teachers and others who shared their experiences and wisdom so eloquently and honestly. A special thanks to Gregg, whose daily postings I found challenging, inspiring, and tremendously insightful & useful in helping me get traction in my process, and who was always quick to respond to my questions. ”

—Beth G, Kentfield, CA

What You Can Accomplish

• The Taking Action Program will give you an opportunity to make progress toward a goal or project that is important to you. It is easy for even our most important dreams to get lost in the shuffle of a busy life. Often they get placed on the backburner because they have no deadline. This program gives you a chance to move the important to the front of the line. By the end of the month you will either have completed or made significant progress on something that is worth doing.

What You Will Learn

In addition to this real-life progress, you will have an opportunity to study the art of getting things done. The program is informed by a wide variety of sources, with an emphasis on principles from Morita Therapy and Kaizen. You’ll learn practical ways to prioritize so you’ll spend more time doing what’s important, not just what’s easy or enjoyable. You’ll have a chance to look at the issue of “procrastination” with a fresh perspective, as well as issues related to attention, distraction, momentum, inertia and more. By the end of the course, you will have experience with strategies and tools that you can use long after the course has been completed

How the Program Works

You’ll have access to the ToDo Institute’s distance learning course website which is the hub of this program. Through the website, you’ll identify what you want to accomplish and keep a journal of your daily progress. You’ll receive guidance and support through daily assignments, quotes of inspiration, readings and online discussions, as well as peer-support group that will be aware of your goal and your progress. As a member of this global community, you will also witness the evolution of other participant projects. A sense of camaraderie develops throughout the course of the month, as members give and receive support and learn to become more effective and empowered in their own lives.

This month-long project will give you a chance to notice and experiment with your own style of working (or not working) on your goals. What gets in your way? What conditions create the most resistance? Recognizing and addressing your own patterns can prevent you from getting derailed in the future.

But let’s make one thing clear – even with a wonderful support system and the availability of excellent tools and ideas, you will still need to give something up in order to move forward. Success in the program ultimately depends on your own willingness to make time and take action on what is important to you. There is no shortcut. And there is no time like the present for finishing the unfinished.

What You Will Receive

A Calendar of Daily Exercises

These daily exercises provide structure and guidance for your efforts. They will help you to be steady with your efforts, despite the ups and downs of enthusiasm, mood, circumstance, etc.

A Weekly Zoom Call

You will have the opportunity to participate in a weekly Zoom call with Gregg Krech and other participants, to share information about the project you are working on, and to learn how Morita Therapy can support your efforts.

Online Resources

You will have access to stimulating and diverse resources through the course website that will help you to overcome procrastination and take constructive action in your life.

Book Options (either e-book is free;  the print book costs $10, shipping included within U.S.)

• The Art of Taking Action: Lessons from Japanese Psychology (e-book or print) by Gregg Krech.

We usually associate Eastern philosophy with a contemplative approach to life but this book addresses the other side of the equation – the active side of life. This powerful resource provides a wealth of inspiration and guidance for those of us who struggle to do what needs to be done. Filled with pragmatic strategies for addressing our common human tendency to procrastinate, it is an invaluable guide for those who want to make the most of their “thirty thousand days”.

• Do the Work (e-book) by Steven Pressfield

Picking up where The War of Art and Turning Pro left off, Do the Work takes the reader from the start to the finish of any long-form project-novel, screenplay, album, software piece, you name it. This book identifies the predictable “resistance points” along the way and walks you through each of them.

A Community Discussion Forum

The discussion forum provides a rich opportunity for community connection, as we share challenges, insights, experiences, and wisdom with one another.

What You Will Do

With just an average commitment of about 30 minutes per day, you will not only make great progress on your project, but create a greater likelihood of accomplishing your goal.

• Start each day with an exercise that will help to shape and define your efforts.

The exercises will provide a structure for you to work with each day. They will give you a rope to grab onto when you feel that you are floundering, and help you to avoid the wall of inertia that can develop with just two days of inactivity. They will make it easier for you to show discipline and resolve, day by day, as you make your way through the month, and create a greater likelihood of accomplishment of your goal.

• Share your experiences and questions with the group.

Though this is optional, we encourage you to make your voice heard through our global online discussion. You will feel more engaged and connected with the group by actively participating and sharing your progress and experience. We also encourage you to show an interest in the efforts of others, who are trying to make progress with their own projects. The camaraderie of the group lends support and encouragement to everyone involved.

• Study inspiring and stimulating readings to support your efforts.

We have created a diverse collection of readings and resources to enrich and support your experience throughout the month. The perspectives of each author help to bring a rich understanding of the forces at play when we strive to take purposeful action in our lives.

What You Will Pay

• If you are a ToDo member, your program cost is $78.
• If you are a non-member, your program cost is $93.

Alumni Discount

If you have done the Taking Action program before, you will receive a 50% discount off of the above prices.  Just select “alumni” option when registering.

Shipping

Within the U.S., shipping of The Art of Taking Action will be free. For destinations outside the U.S. there will be an international shipping charge.

Teaching Staff

GREGG KRECH is widely recognized as one of the leading authorities on Japanese Psychology in North America.  Over the past 30 years, Krech has introduced the principles of Japanese Psychology, particularly Morita Therapy, Naikan, and Kaizen, to thousands of people through his workshops, speaking engagements, online courses and retreats.  

He is the author of numerous popular books, including Naikan: Gratitude, Grace & the Japanese Art of Self-Reflection, The Art of Taking Action, Question Your Life, Tunneling for Sunlight and A Natural Approach to Mental Wellness.  

Blending the psychological, the practical and the spiritual, Gregg Krech promotes values such as gratitude, acceptance, mindfulness, compassion, constructive action and purposeful living.  He currently lives in Vermont with his wife and a large extended family of wildlife. He enjoys writing haiku, baking bread and playing blues piano.