MoHo Talks with Charles Pépin – Deciding, changing, bouncing back: a philosophy of action

‘The secret to taking action is simply to get started.’ This quote from the philosopher Alain gets to the heart of the matter: the truth of action does not lie in over-planning, but in the action itself.
Yet we spend a considerable amount of time not getting started. We weigh things up, compare options, wait for the right moment, the perfect plan, or the missing information. What if the fear of making a mistake costs us more than the mistakes themselves?
Knowing how to improvise, being attuned to subtle cues, facing reality – especially when it is unexpected: these are some of the hallmarks of that practical wisdom which Aristotle already distinguished from theoretical wisdom. A form of intelligence that is not demonstrated on paper, but in the way we make decisions, change our minds and pick ourselves up again.
A philosopher to set us in motion again
Charles Pépin is a philosopher and writer. A professor of philosophy, a graduate of Sciences Po and HEC, he has been running a philosophy seminar open to all at the MK2 Odéon in Paris since 2010 and is one of the most widely translated French authors in the humanities worldwide.
From *The Virtues of Failure* to *Self-Confidence*, from *The Encounter* to *Where to Find Strength?*, he has been making the same argument for fifteen years: that philosophy is not knowledge reserved for lecture theatres, but a very practical tool for living a better life. In his work, Aristotle, Bergson and Sartre sit alongside our most everyday hesitations: changing jobs, daring to have a difficult conversation, or starting afresh after a setback.
The themes explored:
-Deciding: why there is no such thing as the perfect decision, and how to choose without having all the facts at hand.
-Changing: what really holds us back when we want to take a different path, and how to give ourselves permission to do so.
-Bouncing back: failure not as an end in itself, but as raw material — one of Charles Pépin’s key insights.
-Acting in the face of uncertainty: improvising, listening to faint signals, facing reality when it doesn’t go to plan.
Followed by a Q&A session with the audience: come along with your questions, your roadblocks and your decisions that are still up in the air.
Programme:
-6.00 pm – 6.30 pm: Doors open
-6.30 pm – 7.30 pm: Talk by Charles Pépin
-7.30 pm – 9 pm: The MoHo bar remains open after the talk: a chance to continue the discussion, debrief straight away and meet the other participants.
The MoHo Talks are the MoHo’s series of talks: one evening, one inspiring figure, and one conviction: drawing inspiration from the extraordinary to work together as a team.
Registration is compulsory: https://luma.com/MoHo-Talks-Rencontre-Avec-Charles-Pepin