3. A Powerful Motivator<\/strong><\/h3>\nAction 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 <\/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>\nSunk 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>\nPerfectionists 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 <\/p>\n
There are two types of action:<\/p>\n
1. Being busy, just to fill your time.<\/strong><\/p>\nThe 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>\nOften 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>\nSo 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":"\n
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