ACTION, NOT REACTION

Responding to provocation is simply a reflex, but rising above it to focus on growth and stability reflects true strength and purposeful action. The universal law asserts that progress favors those who embrace purposeful action, while those consumed by mere reaction set themselves on a path to ruin.

The American company IBM was so advanced in the field of computers that it was often referred to as the “computer giant.” A few years ago, IBM executives mocked Japanese computer companies, saying, “When IBM sneezes, Japanese computer makers are blown away.”

However, Japanese industrialists did not react angrily to this “provocation.” They focused wholeheartedly on improving the quality of their computers. According to Time (September 17, 1990), Japan eventually surpassed the world in the computer industry. In fact, Japanese company Fujitsu announced that its latest, largest computer could process up to 600 million instructions per second, compared to IBM’s best computer, which could only process 210 million instructions per second.

Becoming provoked by incitement is called reaction, while ignoring provocation to focus on development and stability is called action. The law of this world is that those who prove themselves through “action” progress, while those absorbed in “reaction” ultimately find themselves in ruin.