Taking Action – The Essential Key To Success
I recently read somewhere that if you are not making any mistakes, you are not doing anything at all! I think there is a lot of truth to this: you make mistakes when you are actively moving forward and getting things done. Many successful people put their success down to all the mistakes that they made as they worked towards their goals.
“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” – Zig Ziglar
I personally believe that no amount of talent, contacts, reading books, or listening to motivational podcasts will lead to anything unless you are acting towards your goals daily. Too many people feel that they need to read just one more self-help book or attend just one more motivational seminar before they can start moving; this simply keeps them stuck in over-knowledge and under-action. A person who devotes less time to studies but more to action can often achieve much more. Of course, studies are important, but they need to be backed up with action. I once knew a woman who had very little talent for writing, but she was so convinced that she had something to say that she was almost churning out a book every six months. On the other hand, a very good friend of mine, who has amazing talent as a writer, has yet to publish anything due to a lack of action.
The key question is: are you serious about being successful? If you really are serious, then you will not let a day go by without taking massive action towards achieving your goals. Acting every day is like nurturing a seed that you have just planted; action is like water to the seed; eventually things start to sprout, and you start to reap the benefits of the action you have taken. Reading self-help material won’t do a thing for you unless you start to apply the knowledge. Essentially, applying knowledge through action will create a result.
Just Keep Doing. The real doers just keep doing, while others fall by the wayside through complaining and whining. The ability to keep acting and moving forward far outweighs talent, IQ, and knowing the right people. After all, you would have to use your talent, IQ, and connections through action to get the most out of them.
Get an Action Plan Going
- Determine what you would like to change. Make a list of things that you would like to change. This can range from finding a new job to starting a business, losing weight, finding a partner, and so on. Change is not always easy, so be prepared for obstacles and challenges, and most of all, don’t give up.
- There’s action, and there’s action. Action that is without purpose or focus will ultimately take you nowhere. Therefore, the action that you take needs to be laser-like; after all, the devil is in the details. Take a moment to make a list of the actions you will need to take to really implement change; don’t just take aimless steps that take you in the opposite direction of where you need to go.
- Prepare yourself. Being as prepared as possible will determine how successful you are. Therefore, you need to ascertain what resources or support you will need as you put your plan of action together. Do you need a life or business coach? Are there toxic individuals in your life that you will need to avoid? Is your energy low? If so, how can you increase it? What are the potential obstacles you may encounter?
Just Do It!
As the famous Nike tagline read, “Just do it!” Don’t underestimate the amount of motivation, determination, and willpower you will need to act. It’s a lot easier to read a book or attend a seminar than it is to take massive and focused action daily.
“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
There Is Never a Perfect Time to Take Action
How many times have we heard others and ourselves say that we will act on Monday, at the beginning of the new year, once the winter’s over, and so on? I’ve got news for you: there is never a perfect moment for acting and moving forward. It needs to start now, even if no one around you is supporting you. Don’t let family and friends hold you back; if they don’t want to change, that is their business. They must not stop you from taking the action that you need to take to change and move forward. The more time you let pass without acting on an idea that you have, the more it loses its importance to you. All of us have had ideas that we did not act on and that could have become our keys to success, wealth, and fame. Ideas without the right action plan are useless.
A person with one good idea who acts on that idea, will most certainly achieve more than an individual overflowing with ideas who can’t be bothered to take any action to develop them. I have also discovered that once you get into action mode, it becomes addictive, and you just want to keep taking even more action to achieve other ideas.
Get Rid of The Energy Drainers
While social media and television can be fun in small doses, many people are missing out on great opportunities because they spend so much time aimlessly passing time on social media and watching TV. Constantly checking your phone is another energy drainer. What do you really think you will miss out on, if you don’t check your phone for a few hours? It may sound harsh, but anything or anyone that drains your energy must go. In the case of family members that maybe you can’t get rid of, limit your time with them. The last thing you want while you are acting towards your goals are draining, negative individuals who may only discourage you instead of building you up.
Change Can Happen in an Instant
It is vital to understand that change can happen in an instant; very often, the hardest part is making the decision to change. Once you get past this, the rest is smooth sailing. Never underestimate your capacity to achieve or your ability to reach your goals. Don’t let limitations or outdated beliefs hold you back; take action on a daily basis and watch as you become unstoppable.
