It’s Even Better If You Take Action!

Results, reaching goals, and so much more depends on taking action! While knowledge is power, or so some say, I would argue that it’s knowledge WITH action that’s even better.

We live in an age where information is wildly abundant. It’s incredible! Just about anything you would like to know is at your fingertips or is readily available by asking Siri, Alexa, Gemini, or a few others I’m not even aware of!

In fact, most days my in box is brimming with more information than I have time to digest.

Are you still a fan of printed magazines or do you lean towards the digital versions? Either way – they are loaded with information. If you are a book lover like me, your book shelves (or Kindle) are packed and overflowing.

These days info even floods my texts messages much to my chagrin!

Information abounds!

Back in the day, I thought I was quite fortunate to have a set of World Book Encyclopedias at home to learn random facts. I even remember when encyclopedias came out on CD: you simply inserted it into your computer disc drive and voila – there were endless topics to explore.

I’m also old enough to remember the old ways of obtaining information including a trek to the library and hunting through card catalogs – maybe even enlisting the help of a librarian in the process.

Yes, there’s a wealth of information at your fingertips. Maybe too much information! Devoting numerous hours to combing the web is literally a past time for many.

Here’s what’s interesting: perpetual research and taking in more and more information is often the very activity that keeps you from actually implementing what you’ve learned and taking action!

Common Reasons

Here are some additional reasons you might not be taking action! Do you relate to any of these?

• Hunting and gathering information feels safer than taking action.
• Generating ideas is more fun.
• Procrastinating ensures I don’t make a mistake or fail.
• Too busy questioning whether or not you are “ready” to take action.
• Unwilling to take action unless you are certain about the outcome.
• Overly concerned with what others will think.
• Being delightfully happy in your comfort zone! Stretching outside…not so much!
• Afraid to take the first step.
• Waiting for the right timing…and waiting…and waiting.
• Unsure of where to begin.
• Believing you lack the resources, the time, the authority, expertise, or ___________.
• Feeling too overwhelmed – I’m already overwhelmed!

Be honest, you probably relate to more than one of the reasons listed above. I know I do.

Here’s the deal – taking action is not for wimps because it is hard. It’s scary. If it wasn’t challenging everyone would be doing it, right?

What if NOT taking action is actually the more reckless, risky, and dangerous choice?

Taking Action – A Real-Life Example

Every year, I set a goal to read a specific number of books. The past few years I’ve exceeded my reading goal, prompting me to increase the number of books that I wanted to read for this year. I’ve been able to successfully stay on track with my increased goal until just recently. What I didn’t anticipate is that life and work would simultaneously become more demanding.

It’s been my habit to alternate between an information book and an entertaining novel. That rhythm has worked for me for many years, but as I’ve been reading more books, I’ve noticed that I’ve felt flooded with all the additional information – so much to process, implement, change, etc. That’s why I’ve decided to read a couple of novels in a row to give me more time to absorb the information I’ve already read.

Sometimes the action you need to take is to limit the information coming your way!

Too much information is a very real.

In order to get where you want to be, it requires action! There might be information to gather or learning involved, but if you don’t take any action, you won’t get where you want to be!

Here are some thoughts to consider…

• Motivation follows action.
• Action creates courage – the more action you take the braver you get!
• Inaction breeds doubt and fear which keeps you from taking action.
• Taking action is humbling. You get a chance to discover what you don’t know.
• Once you take action you might discover you are more capable than you thought you were…wouldn’t that be nice! Or that failure isn’t as detrimental as you expected.
• Taking action naturally takes you to new places in life and that is unbelievably exciting!

If you’ve been an information hoarder, how will act on all that you’ve discovered? Need some inspiration? Consider these suggestions…

1. Fast

Not a food fast, but an information fast. Deliberately take a break from the web surfing, endless research, and Facebook scrolling that leads to comparison and disappointment. Intentionally limit or eliminate devouring printed matter, including the newspaper, books, magazine – and yes, Kindle etc. for a period of time. Remember, the idea is to balance out the incoming info with action. My guess is there’s some catching up to do!

If you feel like an information fast is a bit drastic, consider a technology fast, or a social media fast, or ____________ fast. The idea is to free of space to process, digest, and implement the information you’ve already taken in.

2. Do Something!

What’s a small action step you might take that would get you closer to where you want to be personally or professionally? A tiny action that would edge closer to your goals? It’s hard to get the momentum going minus action.

No matter where that small action takes you, you have the opportunity to fine tune and take slightly bigger actions steps. There’s tremendous power in making adjustments along the way.

3. Face the Fear

The more you let fear hold you back you, the fiercer it seems! Ignoring your fears does not make it go away and neither does trying harder. Isn’t it time you looked your Fear Monster in the eye?

4. Clarify

What’s your vision or goal? Once it is fleshed out, work backwards. What are the daily action steps that will successfully make your vision/goal a reality?

If landing on the right goal or a compelling vision feels out of reach – work with a coach.

For those of you who get stuck in a cycle of endless planning, but struggle to know what actions to take – that’s just one of the many areas a coach is equipped and ready to help you with!

5. Be Kind

There’s a reason you seek safety, comfort, certainty, or what’s known – it feels comfortable. Yet to get where you want to be means risking all of the above! That’s anything but comfortable! Be kind to yourself as you stretch, experiment, and increase your tolerance of discomfort. Honor your feelings and urge yourself to press on. Allow yourself the space to fail and make mistakes.

Kindly notice all you are learning in the process of taking action and remember that if you continue to resist taking action, you’ll go nowhere.

6. Resist

Sometimes the most effective action is to NOT do something. Resist watching TV. Refrain from eating that favorite sweet of yours. Prevent yourself from getting sucked into social media. You get the idea!

They say that knowledge is power. I beg to differ. Only knowledge WITH action is powerful. In fact, knowledge without action can be painful as I have demonstrated! Even making a plan is taking action!

Setting goals is easy. Dreaming – no problem. It’s the taking action that’s hard! Unfortunately, a whopping 92% of people who set goals actually never reach them! If you want to be a part of the elite 8% that do successfully reach their goals, it’s essential that you take action!

What action do you need to take?

© Can Stock Photo / Sandralise