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The Pocket Guide to Action: 116 Meditations on the Art of Doing
Action is the surest path not only to reaching goals, but to finding the kind of meaning and purpose we desire. It is a kind of back door to the promises of so many philosophies and religions. When we are action-oriented, we forget to notice the missing pieces of our modern world: anomie fades away, change doesn't seem so wildly fast, the news becomes white noise.This book provides insights on how to take action more.
143 pages, Paperback
Published January 23, 2017
166 people are currently reading
613 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 8, 2017
While the Art of Manliness (from which this book emerges) varies in how much it speaks to me (ranging from posts I enjoy to things I reject wholly to things that challenge me to think) this slim book is excellent. While the definition of action is a touch confused (there is no clear demarcation between 'active' consideration and 'useless' rumination, these are differences in degrees rather than kind) 'The Pocket Guide' does an excellent job justifying and encouraging the reader to engage more fully in the messy real world; trying, striving, and acting as balm to so much of what aches about modern (or -should the quotes be believed about writers discussing their own times be believed- pre-modern) life.
June 7, 2024
I really loved this book! Read it about a year ago. Very short but filled with a lot of wisdom.
It cured my chronic procrastination. I can guarantee that it will cure yours too(if you suffer from procrastination)
*Edit
Reading this for the second time. Still a favourite!
It cured my chronic procrastination. I can guarantee that it will cure yours too(if you suffer from procrastination)
*Edit
Reading this for the second time. Still a favourite!
September 16, 2021
Two stars may be a little low, but it was just that. I liked it well enough, it was okay.
I kept hearing Jordan Chase (Jonny Lee Miller) from Dexter as the voice throughout the book. Chase's whole motivational phrase was "TAKE IT!" The common thread throughout this book was simply to take action. Get out of bed, get off the couch, stop wallowing in your own chaotic insecure delusions. Get out into the world, make a decision, take action, make something happen for yourself.
Although it's right there in the title, I didn't fully realize this book was strictly snippets, ideas to take into account, "meditations". You're not going to find chapters or consistent topics from page to page. It's quotes, theories, opinions, on taking action.
I kept hearing Jordan Chase (Jonny Lee Miller) from Dexter as the voice throughout the book. Chase's whole motivational phrase was "TAKE IT!" The common thread throughout this book was simply to take action. Get out of bed, get off the couch, stop wallowing in your own chaotic insecure delusions. Get out into the world, make a decision, take action, make something happen for yourself.
Although it's right there in the title, I didn't fully realize this book was strictly snippets, ideas to take into account, "meditations". You're not going to find chapters or consistent topics from page to page. It's quotes, theories, opinions, on taking action.
July 7, 2020
I very rarely rate books a 5 on Goodreads (I wish it had a 4.5) as books always seem to have that one thing that prevents it from being perfect. This book is an exception. It is exactly what the title says it is. Its 116 individual meditations on taking action. I think this is a must read for everyone.
The meditations help build an understanding of how we, through the the need to plan and justify our actions, fall into a pattern of inaction. It then goes to show that action, even with incomplete information, is better than no action at all. Finally, it challenges us to take action in all situations.
"The cucumber is bitter? Then throw it out. There are brambles in the path? Then go around. That is all you need to know" - Marcus Aurelius
While I have 'finished' reading this, I will keep it on my nightstand and re-read periodically as a reminder to take action and not over think things.
The meditations help build an understanding of how we, through the the need to plan and justify our actions, fall into a pattern of inaction. It then goes to show that action, even with incomplete information, is better than no action at all. Finally, it challenges us to take action in all situations.
"The cucumber is bitter? Then throw it out. There are brambles in the path? Then go around. That is all you need to know" - Marcus Aurelius
While I have 'finished' reading this, I will keep it on my nightstand and re-read periodically as a reminder to take action and not over think things.
December 24, 2019
The pocket guide to action is what it says on the title. It's a guide with some short meditations on taking action in your life. I read this over the course of two weeks, I'd read two meditations in the morning and two in the evening. Kyle's meditations on action are based on ancient arts and philosophies and are designed to inspire the reader to get up off of the couch, stop wallowing in the self-pity, and go out and do something. It's a small book designed to inspire you to take your life back into your own hands through acting instead of being passive. I enjoyed these meditations and they gave me a new perspective on my own life and the need for me to put what I learn to practice and to act even when I don't know what the end will be.
April 22, 2018
When I finished this I could not place it in either my list of philosophy or psychology books, as it makes gross errors in both accounts. A person that acts cannot be petty? The author has obviously never met my ex girlfriend.
This is not a book to read if you are already someone that gets shit done. This is the book you give to the young teenager that can’t get moving and is paralyzed by fear. 116 meditations could’ve been summed up with a dozen, tops.
1/3 of the way through I had already got all I could from it but I finished it to see if there was more in wait, and also just to finish a book. It is short enough. Doesn’t take long.
This is not a book to read if you are already someone that gets shit done. This is the book you give to the young teenager that can’t get moving and is paralyzed by fear. 116 meditations could’ve been summed up with a dozen, tops.
1/3 of the way through I had already got all I could from it but I finished it to see if there was more in wait, and also just to finish a book. It is short enough. Doesn’t take long.
February 12, 2018
This is complete drivel. It reads like an unfinished rough draft of drunken ramblings about ACTION.
What is action according to this book? Everything.
Meditation is action.
Waiting is action. Proactivity is action.
Arguing is action. Not arguing is action.
You would be far better served by reading the first 3 chapters of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Covey.
What is action according to this book? Everything.
Meditation is action.
Waiting is action. Proactivity is action.
Arguing is action. Not arguing is action.
You would be far better served by reading the first 3 chapters of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Covey.
November 27, 2018
What an achievement for the author. This is very helpful as a daily ruminant. An inspiring and upward lifting resource.
February 27, 2019
Excellent read for anyone that wants to take actions ..
June 17, 2023
A friend gave me this book years ago, but this season of life was the right time to finally pick it up. It goes so well with Dr. Neil Fiore’s The Now Habit and a recent New York Times article by Dana Smith called “How to Save Yourself from Task Paralysis.”
All three of these pieces consider the importance of action to our happiness, mental health, and to our goals. How we frame action and our action’s results can help us get moving (metaphorically or literally).
While Fiore and Smith take more direct psychological approaches, Eschenroeder essentially compiled a notebook of quotes on action from philosophers, creatives, and occasionally a business leader. He also includes his own commentary on quotes or ideas. It’s a self-help devotional more than anything.
I found the book encouraging because it isn’t about “the grind,” but instead is about persistent and consistent action over time. There’s no rush – just go in the right direction! That will help you be the kind of person you want to be. Success isn’t framed as what you accomplish, but who you are.
Philosophically, Eschenroeder isn’t a consequentialist. “The payoff [result of action] may give you information on what to do next, but not on who you should be next,” he asserts. I agree. He quotes Goethe to get there, and the Gita says something similar:
“You have the right to work, but for the work’s sake only. You have no right to the fruits of work. Desire for the fruits of work must never be your motive in working. Never give way to laziness, either.
“Perform every action with you heart fixed on the Supreme Lord. Renounce attachment to the fruits.”
Smith’s NYT article and Action agree that action reduces stress and anxiety. They also agree that our presence in the world impacts those around us regardless of whether we act or not. Smith quotes experts utilizing this idea to get us over the hump of task paralysis – “How does this [task] make others’ lives easier? If I don’t do this, am I delaying somebody else from doing what they need?” Eschenroader makes a similar observation: “You spread whatever you are…Everything you do matters. Act accordingly.”
All three of these pieces consider the importance of action to our happiness, mental health, and to our goals. How we frame action and our action’s results can help us get moving (metaphorically or literally).
While Fiore and Smith take more direct psychological approaches, Eschenroeder essentially compiled a notebook of quotes on action from philosophers, creatives, and occasionally a business leader. He also includes his own commentary on quotes or ideas. It’s a self-help devotional more than anything.
I found the book encouraging because it isn’t about “the grind,” but instead is about persistent and consistent action over time. There’s no rush – just go in the right direction! That will help you be the kind of person you want to be. Success isn’t framed as what you accomplish, but who you are.
Philosophically, Eschenroeder isn’t a consequentialist. “The payoff [result of action] may give you information on what to do next, but not on who you should be next,” he asserts. I agree. He quotes Goethe to get there, and the Gita says something similar:
“You have the right to work, but for the work’s sake only. You have no right to the fruits of work. Desire for the fruits of work must never be your motive in working. Never give way to laziness, either.
“Perform every action with you heart fixed on the Supreme Lord. Renounce attachment to the fruits.”
Smith’s NYT article and Action agree that action reduces stress and anxiety. They also agree that our presence in the world impacts those around us regardless of whether we act or not. Smith quotes experts utilizing this idea to get us over the hump of task paralysis – “How does this [task] make others’ lives easier? If I don’t do this, am I delaying somebody else from doing what they need?” Eschenroader makes a similar observation: “You spread whatever you are…Everything you do matters. Act accordingly.”
February 9, 2019
With 116 brief meditations attempting to inspire the reader to flee abstractions and over-thinking and to free themselves to live in the moment and take action, naturally some of meditations were interesting and helpful and others were quite trite. Heavy with quotes about action from literary and historical figures - which are some of the best parts - this book will likely motivate you or at least fan the flame of taking some leap to pursue an action for which you have previously been unable to get off the ground.
My philosophy of life differs from Kyle Eschenroeder's, so I have some fundamental objections to much of his advice. Drawing from Marcus Aurelius, Nietzsche, eastern religions, Nassim Taleb, and a range of other sources (while somewhat contradictorily despising reading and thinking), Kyle seems to encourage a life that whirls and bounces between a life of doing - doing anything - that ultimately must never be satisfied. Ultimately even, never at rest. Without some philosophical base beyond oneself, with all the focus on oneself, I am afraid you will be disappointed still at the end of life, no matter how much action you took, no matter how many adventures, no matter how many successes, no matter how many things learned for your own self-improvement for failures.
Encouraging focusing on oneself and rejecting the power, wisdom, and aid from outside yourself that can come from reading, religion, rest, contentment, thankfulness, and fellowship is a particular weak point of this book's advice.
My philosophy of life differs from Kyle Eschenroeder's, so I have some fundamental objections to much of his advice. Drawing from Marcus Aurelius, Nietzsche, eastern religions, Nassim Taleb, and a range of other sources (while somewhat contradictorily despising reading and thinking), Kyle seems to encourage a life that whirls and bounces between a life of doing - doing anything - that ultimately must never be satisfied. Ultimately even, never at rest. Without some philosophical base beyond oneself, with all the focus on oneself, I am afraid you will be disappointed still at the end of life, no matter how much action you took, no matter how many adventures, no matter how many successes, no matter how many things learned for your own self-improvement for failures.
Encouraging focusing on oneself and rejecting the power, wisdom, and aid from outside yourself that can come from reading, religion, rest, contentment, thankfulness, and fellowship is a particular weak point of this book's advice.
September 3, 2025
The Pocket Guide to Action by Kyle Eschenroeder is a book of, on, and about taking action.
According to the title there are 116 thoughts on/ meditations about doing things. While there are no table of contents (which always annoys me) there is an Introduction and six different Parts to this title: Philosophy as Action, Looking at Action, Non-Action as Action, Doing Action, Benefits of Action, and Shaping Actions. Each are made up of small writings about a topic/idea that falls within the part of the book it is in.
None of the books writings were earth moving, but it is a very nice collection of thoughts on why we need to actually do things instead of thinking about doing them, or prepping to do them. We really just need to do them.
In the end Eschenroeder is 100% right, doing is better than not and not is getting more and more of a non-option if we want to live a healthy, active life.
ITs a good book overall, somewhat boring I guess as this took me WAY too long to pick back up and finish. I would recommend it to those who are ready for action, who are passionate about doing and achieving. Three out of five stars only as it is a meh delivery of top tier info.
According to the title there are 116 thoughts on/ meditations about doing things. While there are no table of contents (which always annoys me) there is an Introduction and six different Parts to this title: Philosophy as Action, Looking at Action, Non-Action as Action, Doing Action, Benefits of Action, and Shaping Actions. Each are made up of small writings about a topic/idea that falls within the part of the book it is in.
None of the books writings were earth moving, but it is a very nice collection of thoughts on why we need to actually do things instead of thinking about doing them, or prepping to do them. We really just need to do them.
In the end Eschenroeder is 100% right, doing is better than not and not is getting more and more of a non-option if we want to live a healthy, active life.
ITs a good book overall, somewhat boring I guess as this took me WAY too long to pick back up and finish. I would recommend it to those who are ready for action, who are passionate about doing and achieving. Three out of five stars only as it is a meh delivery of top tier info.
October 19, 2018
I was struggling with a sense of "being stuck", so I got this book.
I think it was helpful.
It's nothing particularly profound, but the basic message can be summarized as:
-There's a natural human tendency to think and think and think and procrastinate and review options and read inspirational blogs and articles and basically, do everything except actually taking purposeful action that accomplishes something worthwhile.
-We hope that at some point things will "click" and we'll finally know that we are doing the right thing.
-He argues that this vague hope is generally misplaced.
-In general, we'll be better off taking some worthwhile action than waiting until we feel "ready".
-Instead of reading self-help books decide to take a 30-minute walk every morning.
-Instead of wondering why you're single, sign up on a dating site.
-Instead of thinking about starting a business, start working on your first product.
etc.
If you do this, and you do this consistently, not only will you accomplish more, but you will be less anxious and will have fewer regrets.
I think it was helpful.
It's nothing particularly profound, but the basic message can be summarized as:
-There's a natural human tendency to think and think and think and procrastinate and review options and read inspirational blogs and articles and basically, do everything except actually taking purposeful action that accomplishes something worthwhile.
-We hope that at some point things will "click" and we'll finally know that we are doing the right thing.
-He argues that this vague hope is generally misplaced.
-In general, we'll be better off taking some worthwhile action than waiting until we feel "ready".
-Instead of reading self-help books decide to take a 30-minute walk every morning.
-Instead of wondering why you're single, sign up on a dating site.
-Instead of thinking about starting a business, start working on your first product.
etc.
If you do this, and you do this consistently, not only will you accomplish more, but you will be less anxious and will have fewer regrets.
October 2, 2017
This is probably one of my favorite books I've read this year. This isn't some "self-help" book or woo woo book on how to live your best life now. No! This is a book that simply says rightful action is to key to improving your life. This is a book that needs to be read again and again reminding us that when we take rightful action instead of inaction we change our lives and possibly other people's' lives. It's a short book but I highly recommend it to anyone who's thinking about either making a change or looking for some advice on how to improve their relationships, careers, health, etc. "The impediment to action leads action. Whatever stands in the way becomes the way." - Marcus Aurelius
July 31, 2022
Easy to read and I'll probably keep rereading parts of it as part of my daily devotional as a way to keep more bias to action. Some of it is really good, some of it is meh. Overall a good push to more action. Also pulls in good quotes about action from other sources (currently reading Meditations, one of the sources that gets quoted a few times). Might read some of the other cited sources.
April 16, 2019
I like the idea, I like the quotes, I commend him for writing it. I think it can be a catalyst for many young people... It's not a bad work, just approach it for what it is - a collection of motivational essays and quotes - nothing earth shattering. Just for a certain audience.
May 25, 2020
Poor man's "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius. I appreciate alot of the thoughts but completely disagree with others. Some of those might have fit the author, but they are far from universal in my opinion. A decent read just not as good as any of Ryan Holiday's trilogy, etc.
October 24, 2018
Great daily inspirational read in the morning. Helped me to get "unstuck" on action and get to it. BOOM!
November 6, 2018
Pithy book of thoughts geared toward inviting the reader to action in their lives. Motivating and short. Great to re-read and refer back to.
August 28, 2019
Libro breve con buenas reflexiones sobre actuar
March 4, 2020
Actually the best thing I read in years.
August 12, 2020
Some good nuggets. Could be read quickly, but it's probably best to be picked up one meditation at a time.
April 21, 2021
Practical wisdom to remind you what action is and how available it is to you.
October 12, 2021
As always, a part that is golden and another that is hooey.
March 16, 2022
It's the written version...
Of watching the training montage in all the Rocky movies at once, all in a row. So turn on Eye of the Tiger and do something.
Of watching the training montage in all the Rocky movies at once, all in a row. So turn on Eye of the Tiger and do something.
March 29, 2022
A fun, quick read.
February 10, 2023
Some exceptional quotes and recommendations mixed in with some really cheesy lines. Worth a read, especially if you think more than do.
January 1, 2024
great little daily read/reread
I enjoyed this simple little pocket sized book so much, small digestible wisdom for reading everyday…. Then… rereading!
I highly recommend
I enjoyed this simple little pocket sized book so much, small digestible wisdom for reading everyday…. Then… rereading!
I highly recommend
July 29, 2024
Action. That's it.
February 19, 2025
A great book to read to start the new year.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews