The Most Effective Way to Overcome Anxiety: Take Immediate Action

In the past, I often found myself spending countless hours thinking, constantly hoping that deeper thought would allow me to contribute value.

However, as I continued to engage in real-world practices, countless experiences taught me a simple truth: thoughts are meaningless unless they are translated into action.

Therefore, while thinking is indeed important, it only proves effective when it transforms into practice and guides action.

The true power of thought is only revealed when it is supported by action. Thus, facing reality should always be our first choice.

1. Finish Today's Tasks Today

The management philosophy of Haier, "Finish today's tasks today," is summarized in their mantra, "Daily clear, daily higher." What did Zhang Ruimin, Haier's leader, bring to the company?

A close examination of Haier's culture shows that Zhang Ruimin instilled a vital habit in every employee: to complete every task by the end of the day. When tasks are completed daily, progress is made daily. This is the source of Haier's greatest pride.

It is this habit of completing today's tasks today that has made Haier one of the most efficient companies.

Therefore, everything you do today must be finished today; do not postpone it to tomorrow.

This is the first requirement that I want to impress upon everyone.

2. Now Is All You Have

The second key point to remember is: Now is all you have. The past is gone, and the future is uncertain.

Some people tell me that they will become great, strong, or wealthy in the future. Frankly, I am not interested.

My question to them is always, "What are you now?" They often reply, "I am still preparing." Such thinking is of no use. You must be able to answer who you are now, what role you play in your environment, and the value you create for your friends and family.

If you are the best in these aspects now, then I believe you will be strong in the future.

If you have not proven yourself yet, do not tell me you will be great in the future.

Now is Everything You Have

Now is everything you have. The past is not, nor is the future. In class, I have asked many students to describe their feelings about three words: "past," "present," and "future."

Their answers are often that the past is a beautiful memory, and the future is bright. But when it comes to the present, they often feel there is nothing to say.

The present is simply the present.

This simple question reflects a common mindset: there is recognition and expectation for both the past and the future, but the present is often overlooked.

If you dwell on the past, you are lazy because you are clinging to what is gone, obsessing over past achievements.

If you put all your expectations into the future, you are fearful, avoiding the present and pushing everything to an unknown future as an excuse to escape reality.

Only the present belongs to the strong. What you can truly grasp is only the present.

That is why I always like the slogan: "Start with me, start now." I hope everyone develops a good habit: start from now, open your mind, and accept everything.

3. Master the OGSMT Work Method

To seize the present, you need a successful plan—approach each day, each month, each task, and each year with a standard of success.

Do not muddle through; do not compromise on quality.

I deeply value the concept of quality. When I ask people around me what "quality" means, they often say, "good quality." I understand it this way: quality and taste are inherently connected.

People admire those with taste, but remember, taste is simply the flavor of quality.

A successful plan is built on the principle of quality, determining the time and standard for every task. In other words, ensure that every task you do is done with an emphasis on quality.

True success lies in doing every task with substance and quality; only such people will be regarded as tasteful and distinguished.

Planning starts with setting objectives. As discussed in previous articles, once goals are set, time and evaluation standards must be arranged. Observations show that many people neglect these standards and forget to schedule time.

Worse still, they know how to summarize but not how to plan. A "summary" looks back on the past, while "planning" looks to the future. Those who can summarize but not plan will become people with only a "past" and no "future." In daily business management, there is a method called OGSM-T, which is equally applicable to your daily studies and life:

1. Objectives: Confirm your direction. What do you need to achieve? This usually involves a long-term time frame (e.g., four years) and focuses on one or two core areas described qualitatively.
2. Goals: Measure progress toward achieving objectives with quantitative indicators. Track progress periodically (quarterly or monthly) and report using graphs. Goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, and aligned with the objectives. Follow the SMART principle: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Result-oriented, and Time-limited.
3. Strategies: Determine how to achieve the goals. "Strategies" include the tools, core tasks, and key success factors used to reach the objectives and goals. Strategies should be limited in number to avoid losing focus and spreading resources too thinly.
4. Measures: Measure what matters to you; you are likely to achieve what you measure. Without measurement, there is no management. Measurement standards should be clear, quantifiable, achievable, and aligned with the objectives and goals, following the SMART principle.
5. Tactics: Refers to specific activities or projects that provide a competitive advantage when completed. Steps: List everything that must be done to achieve the goal; assign responsibilities for each step; identify the support needed and from whom; set the time frame for each step's start and completion or the sequence of the process; evaluate monthly to track progress and adjust for any gaps.

This is the most commonly used tool in business management.

If you apply it in your daily life, you will undoubtedly reap benefits and achieve lifelong success.

4. Actions Speak Louder Than Thoughts

As I have always emphasized, actions are always higher than thoughts. In real life, people often speak better than they do, think better than they act, and dream better than reality.

I use this phrase to encourage myself and share it with my readers. Many people experience various confusions because they have not built a bridge between their ideals and reality.

Many people simply see the relationship between thought and action as passive and active.

For example, many managers think strategy is the responsibility of the boss, and they have no opportunity to make strategic choices for the company.

However, this understanding is fundamentally wrong. Strategy is not thought but action. Every manager's actions are strategic choices.

While strategic goals may be the entrepreneur's responsibility, the strategy itself must be the manager's action.

Young people often have these confusions because they believe that individuals exist independently in this world, which is not entirely wrong.

However, when individuals exist in this world, what matters most is not individuality but organizational attributes. When I teach "Organizational Behavior," I spend much time explaining the individual's role and attributes in the organization.

I make it clear to everyone that organizations exist to achieve both personal survival goals and organizational goals. The key to an organization's existence is the behavior that contributes to its goals.

Barnard believed, "An organization is merely a collection of cooperative behaviors." When two or more individuals cooperate, systematically coordinating their behavior, an organization is formed.

"The simplest organization in the world is the exchange of goods between two people, A and B." An organization's effectiveness depends on whether it can lead its members to behave consistently.

In most cases, organizational members have different goals and behavior choices. How do we bring these people together?

The key element is the organizational goal. Organizations exist because of their goals and gain members' recognition by achieving them.

To resolve these confusions, we need to address one issue: the role of a person. As an individual, you can be idealistic, love thinking, or refuse to submit to reality. However, as a professional, you must take on the roles required by your profession.

This role must be filled with ideals while being practical, must love thinking while acting accordingly, and must face reality while solving problems.

While these requirements may seem too demanding, once you become a professional, your responsibilities demand such actions and thoughts.

Philosophy has a famous quote: "Man is nothing but a reed, the weakest in nature, but he is a thinking reed."

This phrase evaluates the essence of humanity and imposes cosmic responsibility on humans. The distinction between humans and other species lies in our capacity for thought.

But this is merely the fundamental difference between humans and other species. Among humans themselves, what distinguishes the excellent from the ordinary is not more thought but the ability to realize ideas.

A person is outstanding because of their actions.

Most people emphasize their superior conditions, but the root cause is always: an excellent person can continuously improve their behavior and act to a higher standard than others.

We need to abandon excessive self-admiration, open our minds, and accept reality. Ideals can become reality only through actions that bridge the gap between them.

In various settings, I often ask everyone to raise their hands. My motto is, "Hands are higher than the head." If you raise your hand now, you will clearly see that hands are indeed higher than the head.

A person's height is not determined by their thoughts or knowledge but by their actions.

Conclusion

Your actions define your height,

not your mind or knowledge.

Young people may have a wealth of knowledge,

but knowledge must be translated into action;

otherwise, it is meaningless.

For young people,

only when knowledge is transformed into action and achieves！