The Art of Taking Actions

Tony Robbins has rightly said, “The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.” 

Are you one of those people who take a New Year’s resolution on the New Year’s eve and end up never fulfilling them? Well, you should know you are not the only one, there are hundreds of people around you who have been taking these resolutions year after year, only to end up with nothing but empty dreams. 

Today, we will be discussing the reason behind delaying actions to attain a goal. These points will help you understand your character better and everytime you procrastinate, you’ll know where you are going wrong. 

Remember, no one is going to come and give you a smack on your face to remind you to do something with your life. So, remember only you can help yourself for a better today and an amazing tomorrow. 

Taking Actions Today for a Better Tomorrow

1. Don’t Wait for the Right Moment 

There are times when you think of taking actions to fulfill your dream but you fail because you believe this isn’t the right time. 

Well, let me tell you most of us fail because we wait for the right moment to take action. However, there’s no right moment to take action, when you want to achieve something you have to plunge yourself into it. 

You might think that currently you aren’t in a state of mind to work on something new or there’s a lot going on in your personal life. But, believe it or not, there will be something or the other happening in your life. You have to prioritize your action plan to attain your goal without making excuses and falling for the same ‘right moment’ trap. 

What Should One Do?

?Keep your personal and professional life separate from each other for you to accomplish your goal. The action plan shouldn’t be made according to your comfort or the right moment, it should be made to keep you out of your comfort zone enabling you to be alert and always ready to take actions. 

Always Remember: Time does not define whether your actions are right or wrong, your willpower and determination does.

2. Excuses! Excuses! Excuses

I, myself, have been into that place where you decide your goal but never achieve it. This made me think why can’t one achieve all their goals, particularly when there’s determination and strength in one’s character to achieve it? 

Well, the answer came shouting back at me, “Excuses.” It’s true; you might have noticed that everytime you set a goal, you become extremely enthusiastic, but after sometime you lose the will to achieve it because you fall for all the made up excuses. 

For instance, imagine you want to apply for a new position in your company, but at the end of the day you tell yourself that the position is not made for you. There might be someone more deserving than you, or you haven’t been in the company for a long time to apply for the position.  

These are all excuses made by our mind in order to delay the actions required to achieve your goal. This is our heart’s voice that tells us to live a more comfortable and relishing life. Your brain knows it well that you’ll end up miserably in the long run, and yet you tend to fall for all the excuses.  

What should One Do?

Make a habit to clear your mind before it is clouded with excuses. This is where your willpower comes into the picture. Bring forth the strength you have and tell yourself strictly that today I will not be defeated. 

If you are afraid of failure, believe in yourself and let it go. Once you throw out the fear from your heart, you’ll be able to take actions for your bright future. However, please remind yourself to take actions; you cannot be successful without taking actions fearlessly.

Always remember - Be strict with yourself and lenient with others! 

3. First Step is Essential

Someone has rightly said, “Even the greatest was once a beginner. Don’t be afraid to take that first step.” 

When you climb a ladder to reach the top, you have to start with the first step; you possibly can’t reach directly at the top. Hence, every step you take matters. The first step is an essential start that you need to give yourself to boost your confidence.

If you have a goal in your mind and you can see the road map clearly - the next step is to take that first step. If there’s fear in your mind of failing or not being able to continue after sometime, it will stop you from taking the first step. 

First step tells you that you can do it, even if the situation doesn’t seem to be in your favour. This first step will allow you to move forward. 

What Should One Do?

Don’t push yourself too hard. Think of the first step, not the entire journey. It might look impossible to achieve for now, but if you focus on your first step, you’ll be able to move ahead gradually. 

Always Remember: Setting goals in itself is the first step. 

4. Fail Early, Fail Often, But Always Fail Forward

Isn’t it amusing that three out of the eight words are ‘fail’, and yet it is a success quote!

John C Maxwell deliberately introduced the term ‘Fail Forward’ that ironically talks about success. Fail forward a way to tell people the importance of failure. Everytime we want to take action, something or the other ceases our growth, reason being our hidden fears. 

Our fear of failure stops us from taking part in competitions, exams, and important meetings. This is where we need to understand that to be successful one needs to fail, fall and get up to try again. Failure is nothing but our attempt to reach a goal, and that is what we are talking about. Taking the first step to accomplish a goal; it doesn’t matter if we fail or pass, the important thing is that we tried and we will keep on trying till we can. 

Fail forward is an essential concept that needs to be studied thoroughly to ensure that we reach our goals even after failing the hundredth time. Teachings from the past failures make us true victors, not the success we will achieve tomorrow. 

What Should One Do? 

Strengthen your willpower to achieve your goal. Taking actions towards your goal can help you be successful. 

Always Remember - “The real struggle in life is with ourselves. The true secret of success is the refusal to give up, the refusal to fail; it lies in the struggle to win the battle against one’s own weaknesses.” - Dr. Daisaku Ikeda