Get on the Train First, Adjust Your Posture Later
Many people hesitate before making decisions, constantly weighing pros and cons, worrying they are not ready, fearing mistakes. But in reality, true opportunities never wait for you to feel fully prepared.
1. You Will Never Be Fully Ready
Even something as simple as deciding what to eat tomorrow morning can change in an instant—how can we expect certainty in life’s bigger choices?
Psychologists call this the “perfection anxiety trap.” We keep waiting for all conditions to be perfect before taking a step. But that “perfect” day may never come.
As the Diamond Sutra teaches: “The past mind is ungraspable, the present mind is ungraspable, the future mind is ungraspable.”
If you wait until you are fully ready, you may be waiting for something that does not exist.
2. You Can’t Think Your Way to Clarity—You Must Act
I once knew an intern who wasn’t the smartest in her group but grew the fastest. She jumped at every opportunity, asked questions without shame, learned quickly, and often said, “If I can’t do it perfectly, at least I can try.”
Before long, she was leading projects and receiving praise from clients—not because she was ready, but because she was willing to start before she felt ready.
As Master Sheng Yen said, “Practice is not about waiting for perfection, but moving forward through imperfection.”
3. The Bee Effect: Stubborn Logic vs. Flexible Experimentation
In an experiment, six bees and six flies were placed in a glass jar with the opening facing a window. The bees, chasing the light, struggled and failed. The flies, chaotically flying in all directions, eventually stumbled upon the way out.
Sometimes, being smart makes us rigid. We get stuck in fixed ways of thinking. But those who dare to act, even without a clear path, often find success by trial and error.
4. Not Boarding the Train Means Staying Behind Forever
You’ll never make mistakes if you don’t move—but you’ll also never go anywhere.
Master Sheng Yen once said, “Life rounds off your edges so that you can roll farther.”
Fear of making mistakes freezes us in place, while action, even if imperfect, sets us free to grow, adjust, and discover.
5. Movement Is the Path
Don’t wait until you are “ready” to pursue love, try a new opportunity, or chase a dream. Just begin.
You can adjust your direction later—but only if you are in motion.
As the Avatamsaka Sutra reminds us: “Without countless efforts and trials, there is no fruit of awakening.”
Don’t wait for clarity. Move toward it.
So next time you’re caught in indecision, remember: Get on the train first, then adjust your posture.
Recommended Reading：
The Essence of Zen Meditation by Master Sheng Yen
The Sutra On The Eight Realizations Of The Great Beings Commentary by Thich Nhat Hanh
MANUAL OF ZEN BUDDHISM by Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki
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