There’s a difference between hearing a sentence and truly understanding it.

But just because you take something in doesn’t necessarily mean it’s yours.

There are degrees to “taking something in.” Agreement is one level. Another is that split-second moment when you’re completely stunned, as if transported—like a memory from a past life suddenly awakened. That’s also “taking it in,” and that latter degree is obviously much deeper, which is why we call it an epiphany. But even after you’ve had that epiphany, the gap between that and truly accomplishing something is still enormous. Remember: doing isn’t the same as achieving. There’s another ten thousand miles between doing and getting it done.