Informed Judgment

There are two classes of physical entities: things that act, and things that are acted upon.  Human beings, generally, have the capacity for action and those who do act, as contrasted to those who are more passive or who are reactive, fare better in most of life’s arenas. 

 

The passive, or unprepared, or reactive are those who are frequently abused, unfulfilled, or find themselves playing catchup by their more forceful and successful contemporaries.  In these situations the passive are not usually happy people.

 

The more forceful ‘actor’ by contrast, however, is generally one of two classes of people: (1) forceful by bullying or physical strength or greater resources (often unearned resources) or of domineering personality; or (2) those who confidently act out of wisdom, love, or informed judgment. 

 

Since wisdom is usually acquired by time and experience, a younger or more disadvantaged person would do well to act out of love and informed judgment.  Love comes with involvement with and service to others and having a clear view of the supernal value of life—one’s own and that of he or she who the ‘actor’ serves.  Love grows and does not diminish unless his/her focus turns inward. 

 

This leaves us with informed judgment as a guide, a safety shield, a starter and a motive power.  Where does one get that?

 

The easiest way, I think, for a young person (but probably the least pursued) is to align himself with a mentor—formerly called a ‘master’—one who has the qualities, skills, values and knowledge the fledgling actor needs or desires.  Then the person—the ‘actor’—needs to become an apprentice, an intern, a trainee, to listen, watch, learn, and willingly practice under guidance of the ‘master.’  The ‘intern’ thus uses the informed judgment of the ‘master’ to inform his own. The trainee will be tempered, of course, by his own unique talents or proclivities but he must be willing to be taught, first, without any resistance to the experience of the teacher. As a former coach I was well-aware of those who were ‘coachable’ and those who were not, and many were the un-coachable who had the tools, the native talent and potential but who never amounted to much, at least in athletics, because they did not learn this critical point.

Finally, of course, the ‘actor’ must read, read, read about and be around, if possible, others who have achieved what he wants to achieve and be thankful to acquire in part the master’s ‘informed judgment.’