Do Not Do Nothing

People say, “I do not know what to do.” That’s okay; nobody does. Go do something. Go do the best thing you can think of.Jordan B. Peterson

What this quote does not say is “do anything.” Nothing does not justify anything. The fact that you are clueless does not mean you can subscribe to any stupid, meaningless, comfortable, hedonic whim. It means to pursue something worthwhile nonetheless. Push for something full of meaning, wisdom, responsibility, and higher aim.

When you start, it does not need to be optimal. It does not need to be clear. In fact, it is probably better if it is not optimized. Aiming for something and advancing toward the goal is the training ground that makes you competent. You learn to prioritize steps and understand what truly needs to be done to reach an end goal. You learn how to collaborate and work with others to further an objective. You learn how to come up with more worthwhile goals. You become disciplined in your pursuit, wiser in how you pursue, and better at making well-defined plans. You gain incremental wisdom as you strive to implement a flawed plan. Then your plan can get better as you learn and grow.

Suddenly, instead of doing nothing because you are clueless, you are not only doing something worthwhile, but you are getting better at knowing what worthwhile means. Competency stems from taking on the challenge of something even when you do not know how you will manage. Yet you bear the responsibility of the risk and push through. The experience will catch up with the willingness. Just do not do nothing. Nothing is nothing.