Many of us get stuck in inaction— the pit of doubt, perfectionism, distractions and planning that stops us from moving forward. Although I don’t believe in being busy all the time doing this and that, people often get lost in the distraction which which results in losing focus on things which really matter — the important stuff. And so today I would like to share 7 rules of action — just some small reminders of things I’ve found useful, common-sense stuff that is often not common enough.
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1. Just start. All the planning in the world will get you nowhere. You need to take that first step, no matter how small or how shaky. My way of motivating myself to run or exercise is: Just put on my shoes and get out the door. The rest takes care of itself.
2. Forget perfection. Perfectionism is the enemy of action. Kill it, immediately. You can’t let perfect stop you from doing. You can turn a bad draft into a good one, but you can’t turn no draft into a good draft. So get going.
3. Don’t mistake motion for action. A common mistake. A fury of activity doesn’t mean you’re doing anything. When you find yourself moving too quickly, doing too many things at once, this is a good reminder to stop. Slow down and focus.
4. Focus on the important actions. Clear the distractions. Pick the one most important thing you must do today, and focus on that. Exclusively. When you’re done with that, repeat the process.
5. Move slowly, consciously. Be deliberate. Action doesn’t need to be done fast. In fact, that often leads to mistakes, and while perfection isn’t at all necessary, neither is making a ridiculous amount of mistakes that could be avoided with a bit of consciousness.
6. Planning isn’t action. Sure, you need to plan. Do it, so you’re clear about what you’re doing. Just do it quickly, and get to the actual action as quickly as you can.
7. Sometimes, inaction is better. This might be the most ironic thing on the list, but really, if you find yourself spinning your wheels, or you find you’re doing more harm than good, rethink whether the action is even necessary. Or better yet, do this from the beginning — is it necessary? Only do the action if it is.
Question: Do you use any of these rules to spur you to action? What other rules do you have?
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