"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." -- Walt Disney, American animator.
No matter how grandiose your plans or how carefully laid your schemes, they're worthless if you never shift gears from meditation into motion. You may have heard the old platitude, "Dreams are just goals without deadlines." Yes, it's true we all need to keep ourselves motivated as we work our way through life, but eventually, you've got to get off your duff and get moving.
I'm not telling you to leap immediately into action without considering the consequences. I like to say, "Thoughtless action will benefit you no more than action-less thought." But once you've gathered your resources, considered each of your options from all the obvious angles, and formulated a basic battle plan, why would you pick procrastination over forward motion? I'm no psychologist, but after 20 years "in the trenches" teaching personal productivity, I believe that procrastination---like all human behavior---arises from very primitive roots. To drum up the gumption to take action, you have to flip an ancient, hardwired motivational switch...and that means overcoming the FLIP factors holding you back:
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1. Fear. As one of the most basic human motivators, fear isn't all bad. If not for fear, we wouldn't be here today, because fear made our ancestors run away from threats like fires and sabertooths. But irrational fear can drive you to ill-considered action...or no action at all. It need not appear at an unconscious level. So instead of standing there undecided, ask yourself if fear---especially fear of failure---stands in your way. If so, what steps should you take to conquer it?
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2. Laziness. Sometimes you just don't wanna. Well, hey, reality calling! You and your family need to eat, and you need to do something to stave off boredom. As long as you don't overdo it, work keeps your mind nimble, helps level out your emotions, and enhances your self-esteem. So get off the fence. Too much laziness just dulls your edge.
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3. Inertia. In scientific parlance, inertia represents an object's resistance to a change in speed and direction. The same goes for human behavior. "We've always done it this way." "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." "If it was good enough for Grandpa..." We've all heard these excuses for not changing. You may be dragging your heels because, deep down, you feel this way too. Successful companies and successful people often resist change, because what got them there worked well. Well, reconsider your reasoning. What got you here won't necessarily get you there, so don't let your natural conservatism get in the way.
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Webinar on December 21, 2012: Become a Productive, Indispensable Assistant |
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The 2013 STACK Attack! |
Due to a special plea from a reader, I am hosting a New Year's productivity workflow makeover on Friday, February 1, 2013. Eight people will come to my home office in Denver, CO, to revamp their organization, email, and time management systems. To assure everyone will get one-to-one hands-on instruction, this opportunity is limited to the first 8 people who register. No exceptions. Learn more about this special opportunity
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Thanks for reading! Make it a productive day.™ |
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