Progress Requires More Doing Less Thinking

I wish I were making more progress toward my goals. I just can’t seem to find the motivation to stick with it. Every time I get close, I hit a wall and I slide backward. It’s like I know what I want to do, and I know how to get there, I just don’t do it. What’s wrong with me?

Sound familiar?

Today, my friends, we are going to talk about the crucial mistake you are making when it comes to achieving your goals.

You simply think too much.

Making progress requires action.

Think about it. (haha, see what I did there?) You’ve probably spent a good chunk of time carefully plotting out how you’d like your life to change. Perhaps you’ve read a zillion self-help books, taken classes, seen specialists, or made sweeping declarations in an attempt to convince yourself you have public accountability.

The problem here is that you haven’t implemented what you’ve learned along the way. You are addicted to searching and seeking and learning and thinking. But you forgot the DOING part.

“What becomes more and more clear to me is that we each have the information we need to design and live our lives as we dream. But we may not have the will. We don’t need more information.

We just need the personal honesty to tap into the knowledge we have … and take the requisite actions! And think of how empowering that is!” Sharon O’Day

Most of us struggle with the application of our knowledge. We’ve gathered information, but failed to implement it in a meaningful way. You are not alone in this behavior – Consider that Dr. Phil helps people address this particular issue on a national stage. He suggests you ask yourself three questions:

• What is it that you are doing that is working?
• What do you have to stop doing that is keeping you from reaching your goals?
• What do you have to start doing that you’ve been avoiding, but that you know will empower you to reach your goals?

Taking action requires motivation.

Regardless of your answer to these questions from the good doctor, for most of us, making progress is reliant upon your personal motivation.

Where do you find this elusive magical element, and more importantly – how do you stay motivated?

What stands between you and what you want?

Take 20 minutes and listen to this Ted Talk called, “F— you: How to stop screwing yourself”.

If you aren’t going to take the time to watch it, I invite you to look at your own behavior. Do you pick and choose what is worth your time, constantly looking for another activity that is urgently more important than taking your own first steps toward progress? Hmmmmm?

Assuming you recognize your own lack of progress stemming from too much information gathering and not enough action taking, I’ve got a few more questions for you:

What are you waiting for? Are you waiting for the timing to be perfect? A fatter bank account? Skinnier body?

Are you looking for a sign? And would you recognize it if you got one?

Do you want change or attention?

Are you fooling yourself that you are making progress, when you are really just keeping busy?

Do you recognize an insatiable thirst for knowledge keeps you from taking your first steps?

Challenge: Ponder the current state of your life and whether or not you are self-sabotaging your own efforts. Contemplate what motivates you and whether or not you can commit to taking action.

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