This quote was actually given to me by one of my clients. He had been dealing with depression for many years in his life, and working extremely hard to increase his self-esteem. He was an avid reader of books which varied in topics from self-help, psychology, and spirituality. He knew that I did the same, so we often talked about what he had been reading in our sessions. I had been challenging him to move from his current space in life, into a more productive space in which he could begin to achieve his goals. It was apparent to me that he was worried about failure, and this seemed to be the one thing that was keeping him stuck in his current situation. One day, he came in and handed me this quote. He went on to tell me that he had finally realized that "knowledge without action is pointless". He had recognized that all of his efforts to learn about himself were pointless, unless he took action, got a job, and began to change his life. Today he is working and enjoying life, and is a totally changed person. As a counselor, it doesn't get better than that !