Doing, Growing, Knowing

Many lives have been changed by the thoughts and writings of Jaana Venkula, Finnish social psychologist, researcher, lecturer, public speaker, and author. With Doing, Growing, Knowing, editors Eija Pehu, Markus Vähälä, and Soilikki Viljanen wanted to bring Venkula's ideas to the English speaking world.

This volume comprises selected writings from Venkula's five books published in Finnish: Tekemisen taito, The Skill of Doing (2005); Kysymisen taito, The Skill of Asking (2007); Taiteen välttämättömyydestä, On the Necessity of Art (2011); Fair Play jalkapallon sieluna ja käytäntönä, Fair Play as the Soul and Practice of Soccer (2012); and Epävarmuudesta ja varmuudesta, Of Uncertainty and Certainty (2011).

Venkula's central thesis is, "In the beginning is a deed." This notion carries through all her work. While science has largely focused on how one's mind (words, knowledge, motivation) guides our actions, Venkula examines how our acts and deeds gradually form our mind and are reflected in our egoless, joyful, and practical interactions with reality. Adhering to such a way of life helps us engage with complex issues, face uncertainty, and even overcome depression.