If you want to make progress in life you must take action! Some action will be in the form of baby steps, some in the form of week long projects, and others might take a month or more. The important thing is to begin.
I heard something interesting recently. Once we decide what we want to do in life – such as exercise more, get up earlier, take an online class, expand our customer base or such – it is important that we don’t think about taking the action too much, but rather just take action.
Perhaps you have decided you want to get up earlier in the morning. Set your alarm and get up. Don’t lie in bed pondering whether or not getting up earlier is what you really want. Because believe me, lying in bed pondering it will certainly put you right back to sleep! Don’t think about, just take action and get up!
Maybe you are looking to expand your customer base to grow your business. Come up with a plan for how to do that and then take action! Don’t over think it fretting that people won’t be interested or that your product might not be what they are looking for. Remember your goal to grow your business and take action! Some people won’t be interested but others will – and those that are will be so grateful for you!
Sometimes giving things too much thought really doesn’t do us any favors.
Whether we are talking projects and goals or relationships, it is important to keep moving forward. Definitely have your time to brainstorm a plan and to carefully think it through and formulate it. But once the planning process is over it is important to move forward. Some things will take baby steps while others will take big changes. Don’t get hung up in petty details when the picture of what you want to accomplish is so much bigger.
Speaking of getting hung up with petty things, this is just what happened with my sister and I. We were starting our business for our downtown boutique and we needed an email address. Simple enough, right? Not really! We didn’t want anything as blasé as sales or something which used our name. That just seemed rather predictable and unimaginative. Everything screeched to a halt as we tried to figure out an email address that was just perfect for our boutique.
After a while we realized that we had gotten hung up on a detail. We decided to just choose something and move forward knowing that it could be changed later on. But first we ran to ask our Dad if he had any brilliant suggestions – and he did! With his timely help we were back on track and able to make progress again!
If I remember to have a list prepared ahead of time, I find that I waste so much less time. This helps me especially when I am feeling tired or uninspired. I can reference my list of odds and ends and make progress! Then at the end of the afternoon or day, I feel so industrious! I didn’t spend hours spinning my wheels, but rather I accomplished things!
How can you employ this idea in your life?
It’s really very simple and works for anyone! Sit down with a cup of coffee and think about what you want to do and what you need to do. Wants might include wanting to paint a room a different color or try a new brand in your shop. Needs probably include something basic and necessary such as buying groceries, cleaning the house, or taking out the trash. Nothing is too menial for this list, write it all down.
Once twenty or thirty minutes is up, your coffee is gone, or your page is full, get started! Take action! Do what you know that you need to do, and then work in your list of odds and ends as you can! You will get so many things off your list!
I hope these ideas really help propel you forward! Leave me a note below with any additional ideas you might have!
Until Next Time!
Hope.