{"id":1092,"date":"2018-08-10T15:39:34","date_gmt":"2018-08-10T15:39:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/?p=1092"},"modified":"2021-09-19T17:12:33","modified_gmt":"2021-09-19T17:12:33","slug":"taking-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/taking-action\/","title":{"rendered":"The Essential Guide to Taking Action (for Massive Results)"},"content":{"rendered":"

You can continue thinking about what’s best for your life, but it won’t help.<\/p>\n

Abstract planning won’t solve your problems.<\/p>\n

You’ll get tangled in the vines, trapped in quicksand.<\/p>\n

The brain’s a problem-solving machine, constantly computing life’s riddles.<\/p>\n

It transports you back in time to solve the past and projects its insecurities into the future while attempting to plan your life\u00a0in perfect detail.<\/p>\n

But\u00a0its memory is sketchy at best, affected by all kinds of cognitive biases; it’s predictions about the future pure fantasy.<\/p>\n

In the present, the mind doesn’t worry. It’s finally still, and action can proceed unhindered.<\/p>\n

The Power of Starting<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Action<\/a> bypasses thought, a kill switch for indecision.<\/p>\n

So many of us prefer to think about doing rather than doing, which expends twice the effort; the initial mental energy, followed by the physical doing.<\/p>\n

And beyond a certain point, the planning becomes redundant, an impediment to action.<\/p>\n

Thinking often masquerades as pragmatism.<\/p>\n

Logically considering your options soon becomes a delaying tactic, a fear of failure.<\/p>\n

The fear of failure is abstract like you’re other thoughts.<\/p>\n

\n
“I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”<\/span>\u00a0Thomas Edison<\/span><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The only way you truly fail is by overthinking, not starting and staying still.<\/p>\n

Move forward in any direction, and you make progress.<\/p>\n

It’s how the Wright brothers won the aviation race, despite having only $1000, against the bigger budgets of larger companies.<\/p>\n

Because they were short on money, they did 1900 test flights in one month, whereas the larger firms never proceeded beyond planning.<\/p>\n

\n
“A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.”<\/span>\u00a0George S. Patton<\/span><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

3 Reasons to Start Taking Action<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"notebook\"<\/p>\n

1. A Tight Feedback Loop<\/strong><\/h3>\n

You quickly learn (through action) what works and what doesn’t, allowing you to tweak your approach accordingly.<\/p>\n

You iron out the kinks and become more skilled through practice and repetition, stripping away the inessential through experience.<\/p>\n

You learn by doing and drop unproductive approaches with the feedback you gain. Many of the greatest authors in the world weren’t taught how to write the novels we cherish…<\/p>\n

They wrote until their fingers cramped and learnt how to craft a captivating story.<\/p>\n

2. The Law of Averages<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Life’s a numbers game and if you\u00a0hit enough baseballs, at some point you’ll hit some home runs.<\/p>\n

When we were younger we always joked about friends playing the dating numbers game.<\/p>\n

They approached so many people, that eventually they were bound to get a telephone number.<\/p>\n

You see it in sales. Those who overcome their\u00a0initial fear and cold call until their voice croaks.<\/p>\n

By turning up and doing the work you’re already ahead of the competition.<\/p>\n

3. A Powerful Motivator<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Action snowballs, and through consistency theory, each step forwards creates greater momentum.<\/p>\n

Start exercising today and your self-image changes. You begin\u00a0to view yourself as someone who exercises, your resistance to action slowly dissolving.<\/p>\n

Motivation always follows action…<\/p>\n

When you’re motivated, you act more…<\/p>\n

When you act more, you’re more successful…<\/p>\n

When you’re more successful, you’re more passionate…<\/p>\n

And when you’re more passionate, you’re more motivated to continue.<\/p>\n

It’s a virtuous circle.<\/p>\n

By taking action, quick wins follow, infusing other areas of your life…<\/p>\n

When a friend invites you to a party and you’ve had a productive workday, you’re more likely to say yes.<\/p>\n

Why You’re Stuck<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"cyclist\"<\/p>\n

It seems so simple, and yet it’s not easy…<\/p>\n

Intuitively, we know the activities that contribute positively to our lives, and those that drain us.<\/p>\n

Sitting and watching a Netflix for six hours on a Sunday may feel good at the time, but the\u00a0self-loathing soon kicks in.<\/p>\n

You know it would be more nourishing to write, meditate or go running.<\/p>\n

So why can’t you start?<\/p>\n

Sunk cost fallacy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sunk cost fallacy means people persist with an unproductive behaviour, situation or course of action.<\/p>\n

You continue with an unhappy relationship because of the time you’ve invested.<\/p>\n

You keep ploughing money into a sinking business.<\/p>\n

You maintain an unhealthy diet because you already feel overweight.<\/p>\n

There’s a perverse sunk cost fallacy happening with non-action too.<\/p>\n

Maybe you feel too old, or that\u00a0there isn’t enough time to implement your plan or that it’s too late to start…<\/p>\n

But the only guaranteed outcome of not taking action is that there’s zero chance of success.<\/p>\n

Don’t allow the time you’ve invested in inaction to justify further inaction.<\/p>\n

Starting anything today is better than waiting until tomorrow in order to give yourself a chance of success, however slim.<\/p>\n

Perfectionism<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Perfectionists are overthinkers. They want to chart the perfect course to their destination…<\/p>\n

To account for their effort and be rewarded accordingly.<\/p>\n

If reality doesn’t measure up to their perfectly laid plans, they return to the drawing board.<\/p>\n

Here’s the thing…<\/p>\n

There’s no straight line to success. At best, you point yourself in the general direction and zigzag\u00a0your way forward.<\/p>\n

Imagine driving a car…<\/p>\n

It’s tough to turn the steering wheel when you’re stationary.<\/p>\n

But in motion, it’s easy.<\/p>\n

Even on the straightest roads, you constantly tweak the wheel\u00a0to stop yourself crashing in a ditch, which is exactly how you should approach your goals.<\/p>\n

Decide on a general direction and iterate as you go, in line with the feedback you receive.<\/p>\n

The Best Type of Action<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"man<\/p>\n

There are two types of action:<\/p>\n

1. Being busy, just to fill your time.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Wall Street syndrome. Being busy for the sake of it.<\/p>\n

Always in a rush but never present.<\/p>\n

2. Conscious action<\/strong><\/p>\n

Often includes many of the same activities but performed with presence.<\/p>\n

Conscious action can include walking, meditation or just sitting mindfully.<\/p>\n

Action in this sense is a productive, nourishing activity.<\/p>\n

To encourage mindful action is to encourage the right action.<\/p>\n

Learning how to appreciate the present moment dissolves the power of the ego, allowing you to see the reality of your situation with greater clarity…<\/p>\n

By anchoring yourself with daily meditation, you can calm the swell of emotions, settle your swirling thoughts and take more effective action.<\/p>\n

Practising a few minutes each day will bring renewed awareness to your mind, revealing how best to proceed in any given situation, while helping overcome the inertia of taking the first step.<\/p>\n

And rather than projecting your hopes and fears onto a potential outcome,\u00a0you can begin enjoying the process of taking more meaningful action.<\/p>\n

\n
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”<\/span> Dale Carnegie<\/span><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So go out there and get busy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You can continue thinking about what’s best for your life, but it won’t help.<\/p>\n

Abstract planning won’t solve your problems.<\/p>\n

The brain’s a problem-solving machine, constantly computing life’s riddles.<\/p>\n

However, it’s only when you take effective action that any meaningful progress is made.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1104,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Essential Guide to Taking Action (for Massive Results) | Bloomsoup<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Overthinking and excessive planning won't solve your problems. It's only when taking action that you make any meaningful progress in life. 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