“If you had acted when you had the chance, Aegon’s line would be extinguished, and Luke would be alive.” - Daemon Targaryen
What a treat today we received with the additional Season 2 trailer. I simply had to do an 'emergency post' to cover this!
CBS news treated us to a premiere of a heated conversations, where a number of jabs were thrown, including the one about acting when having the chance.
We don't get too much in the way of spoilers, albeit it seems that there are tensions in the Black team after the loss of Lucerys right at the end of Season 1, and the blame games have already started.
It's not yet clear what yet Daemon mourns more, either the loss of Lucerys, or the fact that a relatively straightforward victory could have been secured when Rhaenys chose to spare the Greens during her escape from the Dragonpit.
I don't think I was alone in saying 'Do it', as the Dragon got closer to Aegon II, but for whatever reason Rhaenys decided against it.
Although the Targaryens are a family at war, they place great stock on keeping their bloodline pure, and their dragon stock strong. At the time, there was also considered to be a difference between royal blood and that of the masses, which could have also played on Rhaenys' mind.
I love how this ties in between prequel series and Game of Thrones proper. You might recall Tywin saying about killing 'a dozen at dinner' rather than 'a few thousand in battle' to be far more elegant, as justification for the Red Wedding. Tyrion and Tywin Lannister in particular are very big on learning from the Targaryen's mistakes, and you wonder whether we'll see even more tie in between the past and future as the series develops.
For now though, let's explore the relevance of this conversation to the modern self-help world. The tension between action and inaction is covered quite a lot in many areas of self help, especially what I would consider books that are more 'popular'.
Feel the fear and do it anyway, You are a badass, and similar titles try to get us to step out of our rot of inaction, push past our doubts, and get the life we truly deserve.
It's the perfect antidote to the also popular, yet very misunderstood Law of Attraction, that you'll most likely have come across in The Secret. The Law of Attraction states that thoughts become feelings which become things. Unfortunately, taken too literally some folks think that you can 'think happy thoughts' and sit in a basement waiting for the millions to literally drop out of the sky - yeah, that's not quite how it works.
The consequence of inaction is believed by some psychologists to be self resentment. This is paradoxical, because the cause of most inaction is a lack of self worth, thus sparking a vicious cycle. Malcolm Gladwell somewhat talks about this with The Matthew effect in his fantastic book Outliers.
“For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
This speaks to the compounding effect of advantage and disadvantage over time. Interestingly, there are so many interpretations of this which can often fall into 'victim mode', especially later in the bible where love of money and wealth are criticised, and blessings are reserved for the poor. The reality is that positivity and negativity both compound, and so breaking a negative cycle with action, although it may feel uncomfortable today, could pay unknown dividends down the line.
Top tips on action:
1. Recognize Critical Moments: Identify when a decision has significant potential consequences. Understanding the gravity of a situation helps in prioritizing actions and making informed choices.
2. Weigh Consequences of Inaction: Consider not just the outcomes of actions but also the potential negative outcomes of failing to act. Assessing both sides provides a clearer perspective on the best course of action.
3. Develop Courage to Act: Build the mental fortitude to make decisions, even in the face of uncertainty. This can be cultivated through small, consistent acts of decisiveness, gradually building confidence in one’s ability to make and execute decisions.
But what if this is taken too far?
The obvious consequence can be rash decision making. It’s important to balance decisiveness with careful consideration. Acting too quickly without sufficient information can lead to equally negative outcomes. Therefore, a balance must be struck between thoughtful deliberation and the courage to act.
Alternatively, what if everyone around you advises inaction? It’s crucial to trust one’s judgment and intuition in such cases. While it’s beneficial to consider the perspectives of others, relying too heavily on external opinions can paralyze decision-making. Trusting in one’s own evaluation of the situation is vital.
To conclude, I think this quote perfectly sets the scene for season 2. Lots of big characters will face big decisions with big consequences, and I can really feel the heat turning up on the storyline already. Hopefully this post has encouraged you to think about how you can shape your destiny through increased action.
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Hopefully you enjoyed this emergency blog post. If you'd like me to cover this one in more depth - let me know in the comments or on X (formerly Twitter) @SHF7Kingdoms
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