Corps (core) of Success Part 2

Most of you may not know that the Knights of MSA grew out of a very secret society. So secret was this society that only two people knew about it: Sir James of Taylor and me.

Based on the writings of Robert Ringer, the Society of Ringers was formed to, well, do nothing really. With that as our mission, we succeeded brilliantly.



I was discussing this secret society with Sir Hook and that’s when, after several beers, we committed to a new, better society: the Knights of Moleskine, Spirit, and Ale.

I bring this up only because of yesterday’s post on Corps (core) of Success and overcoming obstacles. I remembered the first of Ringer’s success principles: “I have,” he writes “zeroed in on ACTION as the most important success habit when it comes to determining how an individual’s life plays out.” (Sir Hook calls this “Endeavor to Engage”).

ACTION is the awesome tool that gives a person the capacity to overcome virtually any obstacle in his path. In other words, “Nothing happens until something moves.” (Albert Einstein).

Today I am reminded that, on my own personal Corps of Discovery, I must be more than an idea person, I must MOVE!

Jefferson, Lewis, and Clark could have looked at maps and discussed what might be beyond those maps until they were dust, but only when they endeavored to engage the unknown and moved (boated, portaged, hiked, climbed…) did they accomplish anything great.

Again, Robert Ringer on ACTION: “(it) applies to all aspects of life. Ideas can be precious commodities that can change the world, sound preparation is invaluable, and knowledge and wisdom are essential when it comes to giving one an edge in the pursuit of great achievements. But ideas, preparation, knowledge, and wisdom are all but useless without action, because action is the starting point of all progress.”

The Moral: It’s not what you can do; it’s what you do!

Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery didn’t accomplish their great adventure by sitting in an office and drawing maps – that took action. Action one step at a time!

Which leads to this well-know (unless you've never read it) great “Knight” story:

“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows that it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows that it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a lion or a gazelle; when the sun comes up, you had better start running.”

Sir Bowie “Endeavoring to be Proactive” of Greenbriar

Read more from Robert Ringer at RobertRinger.com