--- title: "On Actions: Summary & Takeaways | Zenith Clubhouse" url: https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-actions description: "Boaz Gilad argues that most daily actions people call 'choices' are actually automatic reactions to uncomfortable feelings—boredom triggers scrolling,…" lang: en --- Substack · Summary # On Actions By Boaz Gilad (https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/boaz-gilad) · October 4, 2026 · 1 min read Boaz Gilad argues that most daily actions people call 'choices' are actually automatic reactions to uncomfortable feelings—boredom triggers scrolling, stress triggers eating, fear triggers avoidance—forming Pavlovian loops learned through repetition rather than fixed personality traits. He warns against treating these patterns as permanent identity ('I am just a procrastinator') when they are really rehearsed habits that can be retrained. Image: Cover image for “On Actions”, an essay by Boaz Gilad on Substack (https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/__l5e/assets-v1/69c018d3-d746-4720-8279-2ea0a1e2b4a6/on-actions.webp) ## What is "On Actions" about? Boaz Gilad argues that most daily actions people call 'choices' are actually automatic reactions to uncomfortable feelings—boredom triggers scrolling, stress triggers eating, fear triggers avoidance—forming Pavlovian loops learned through repetition rather than fixed personality traits. He warns against treating these patterns as permanent identity ('I am just a procrastinator') when they are really rehearsed habits that can be retrained. The piece distinguishes ordinary performers, who wait to feel ready, confident, or motivated before acting, from Top Performers, who reverse the order: commitment drives action first, and feelings like confidence or clarity often arrive afterward, not before. Gilad stresses that emotions deserve respect but not control over the steering wheel of behavior. He closes with a practical exercise: identify one avoided action, take it immediately before the old loop can argue, then notice how the body's felt sense shifts afterward, reinforcing that the body learns new patterns through repeated, visible evidence rather than internal declarations or analysis. In brief ## What are the key takeaways? 1. 01 Many 'choices' are trained emotional reactions (Pavlovian loops), not conscious decisions. 2. 02 Top Performers act from commitment first; feelings like confidence often follow the action rather than precede it. 3. 03 Change starts with one small, immediate action that interrupts the old loop and gives the body new evidence. This is a summary. Read the complete essay by Boaz Gilad on Substack. Read the full essay on Substack (https://boazgilad.substack.com/p/on-actions) Topics - Discipline - Decision-making - Execution - Mindset Questions ## Questions about this essay ### What is "On Actions" by Boaz Gilad about? ### What are the key takeaways from "On Actions"? ### How can I apply "On Actions" this week? ### Where can I read the full "On Actions" essay? Keep reading ## Recommended insights Cover image for “On Minority Rules”, an essay by Boaz Gilad (https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-minority-rules) Substack Sep 27, 2026 ## On Minority Rules: https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-minority-rules Summary & key takeaways: https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-minority-rules Cover image for “On Regret”, an essay by Boaz Gilad (https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-regret) Substack Sep 20, 2026 ## On Regret: https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-regret Summary & key takeaways: https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-regret Cover image for “On Waste”, an essay by Boaz Gilad (https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-waste) Substack Aug 23, 2026 ## On Waste: https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-waste Summary & key takeaways: https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-waste All insights (https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/insights) Invitation only ## The room changes you. Zenith is invitation-only. 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He warns against treating these patterns as permanent identity ('I am just a procrastinator') when they are really rehearsed habits that can be retrained. The piece distinguishes ordinary performers, who wait to feel ready, confident, or motivated before acting, from Top Performers, who reverse the order: commitment drives action first, and feelings like confidence or clarity often arrive afterward, not before. Gilad stresses that emotions deserve respect but not control over the steering wheel of behavior. 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