Nothing happens without A-C-T-I-O-N.
It makes sense logically, but time and time again when I study successful people, this is the common thread that sets them from everyone else. When I work with clients who are stuck, or are not getting the results they want, in just about every situation they are not taking enough action on the things they “know they should do”.
In fact one of main tenants of coaching is to lead the client towards self-directed action.
“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” Abraham Lincoln
Nobody has ever been paid for what they know, they get paid for what they DO.
Don't get me wrong, you can't just walk around taking random action after random action without any semblance of a plan. There is a place for analyzing, strategizing, deliberating and organizing. But for most people (certainly myself included), the problem rarely lies in taking too much action.
Even if your action doesn't give you the results you want initially, you get something just as important… feedback. You can now adjust your sails accordingly and try another approach.
We now live in the information age. Most of us have a wealth of information at our fingertips with our smartphones. Simply type a question or keyword and search the internet and you will receive thousands of results, articles, papers, videos, books, and courses. Information on just about every topic is out there within seconds and for free in most cases! Knowledge is power right? Wrong!
Knowledge is potential power, but only if acted upon. It is the application or use of that knowledge that unleashes all the power.
In my brain science classes, I always perform a simple exercise. At the end of one of my classes, I give each attendee a simple assignment, something that requires very little effort on their part and can literally be done in 30 seconds. I then ask them to email me that task prior to the next class. Almost every participant from my class has a smartphone. Each person already has my email address. The exercise couldn't be simpler.
What percentage of the participants do you think take action and follow through? 100%? 70%? 50%?
The average is about 25%! The other 75% fail to take action on a simple task that takes 30 seconds or less.
As I start the next class I remind them about their assignment which typically brings about some groans, a few sheepish grins and a couple whispers of “oh yeah”! I then ask the participants how many decided right then and there they weren't going to partake in the exercise. I am even willing to give those a pass if they consciously choose not to partake in the exercise. I have yet to have someone raise their hand. The 75% actually intended to take action but failed to.
Why?
Maybe they “forgot”, maybe it just wasn't important enough for them to make it a priority. Maybe they were unsure of how to respond and didn't want to look dumb. Maybe they started a response, but it wasn't quite perfect, so they wanted to think about it some more. Maybe they weren't even paying attention when the exercise was discussed! We all have our own favorite excuses, but you can have excuses or you can have results. You have to decide.
How you do anything is how you do everything.
Whatever it was that held them back from taking that tiny action, it is most likely what holds them back from the results they wish they were getting.
Successful people create a bias for ACTION and making decisions.
When I hired Stefan James as a coach, I thought, he is going to love me as a client. I am a Life Coach, I teach a class on how the brain works, I will be the easiest client he has had, I will simply follow his guidance and make it happen!
Oh silly me….
It wasn't until I started working with Stefan that I realized how LITTLE action I was actually taking. The first thing that struck me about Stefan was that here was a guy that took all the things I have read about from Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield, Dale Carnegie, Napoleon Hill, but he was actually LIVING THEM on a daily basis. He doesn’t just read about it, he has religiously, consistently and relentlessly put the concepts into action. That is when it really hit me. I had always been a big reader. I would even come across many topics I had heard before and say to myself “I already know that”. But now, I realize it doesn't matter whether I have heard it before, or whether I know it, but do I do it? If I am not really living it, using it, I might as well not even know it. That was my biggest takeaway from working with Stefan and what I admire about him the most, A-C-T-I-O-N is the key to it all.
The good news or bad news, is that action, or lack of it, is a habit like anything else. This means that if you are used to analyzing, over thinking and considering every possible outcome first like I was, your brain is wired to do that automatically. The good news is that because of brain plasticity, (the fact that your brain is always changing and rewiring) you are constantly creating new neural pathway and can create new habits, behavioral and thinking patterns.
As you are reading this, maybe something that you personally have been putting off popped into your head.
It is time to stop waiting for…
- The perfect time
- When you are in the mood
- More skills
- More experience
- More confidence
- Someone to show you how
- All the answers
- The right inspiration
- The economy to be better
Just get STARTED! Now. Through the process of your action, learning and feedback you will get the skills, the experience, and the confidence and find the answers. Not before…
There is a great story I heard about a man praying to win the lottery. He gets on his knees and says “God, I need some help, I must win the lottery, it will change my life, I will finally be happy and be able to serve you.”
A week goes by. The lottery comes and goes. Having not won, he decides to go to church this time.
“God please, about the lottery I mentioned before, I am a good man, I am a proud father, a devoted husband and I try to help others when I can. Please give me a break, let me win the lottery this week.”
Another lottery passes, with no victory.
The man gets back on his knees “God, I don't seem to be getting through to you on this lottery thing, I have been praying, visualizing winning the money, reading self-affirmations and focusing on my positive self-talk, I even made a vision board with what I will do with the money, but it isn't working. Please, help me win the lottery, I'll do anything!”
At that moment the heavens open, the angels are singing and a bright light shines down on the man. “My son, help me out, BUY a lottery ticket!”
When I heard that story, it really hit me. Sometimes we are so focused on everything else, when what we really need to do is just get out there and start taking action!
What do you know that you should be doing, but have been holding back on? Take the first step today!
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