Goethe on Exit Planning

Early this morning at my Rotary meeting I heard a quote that struck a chord with me. Our speaker, Stephan Stubbins, recounted the story of how he co-founded a successful theater company that helped save one of our local state parks. Once Stephan and his partners quit their jobs and fully committed themselves to starting a theater company, things started to happen for them.

The quote he shared is by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ( 1749 – 1832) the prolific German writer, scientist and statesman …

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.”

We’ve all seen how the act of truly committing one’s self to an idea or goal, sets events into motion, some planned and some fortuitous. Committing to an exit plan works that way too.

Thanks for the reminder Stephan! Click here for information on Transcendence Theater Company