The Reason Why You Aren't Taking Action

As a busy accountant, you’ve probably got a lot to do, right?? Even if it’s a “slower” time of the year for you, I’m going to bet your to-do list still has a lot on it.

But have you ever felt overwhelmed by a long to-do list, yet can't seem to get anything done? You're not alone.?

Despite typically being meticulous planners, as accountants, we often find ourselves stuck, asking, "Why can't I make progress?" or "Why do I keep procrastinating?"

If you struggle to take action despite knowing things need to be done, keep reading.

The Smarter Accountant Approach

As a CPA in public accounting for over 30 years and having worked for some of the Big 4, I know first-hand what it’s like to have a lot to do but not feel the motivation to get it done.

I also know what it’s like to feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day; to feel so stressed and overwhelmed by my never-ending to-do list.

That’s why, when I discovered something that made me more productive, more efficient, and helped me to take action no matter what, I knew I needed to share it with other struggling accountants.

What is this magic potion I discovered, you ask?? It’s a power tool called The Model, which I discuss in my book, "The Smarter Accountant."?

In a nutshell, The Model helps you understand why you’re not taking action and how to change that.

Understanding The Model

The Model is a formula that helps you see the connection between your thoughts, feelings, actions, and results. Here's a brief overview:

Circumstances: These are the things you can’t control, like workload, client actions, or the time of year.

Thoughts: Your perceptions and beliefs about these circumstances. These are the sentences in your head that interpret the circumstances. (Fun fact: you have over 60,000 thoughts a day, and 90% of them you’re not aware of!)

Feelings: Emotions triggered by your thoughts. Feelings are the one-word emotions that influence your behavior.

Actions: What you do or don’t do based on your feelings. Your actions are directly influenced by how you feel.

Results: The outcomes of your actions or inactions. These are the tangible results you see in your life and work.

If you aren’t taking action, it’s not because you’re lazy or incapable; it’s only because you haven’t been aware of the feelings driving your inaction and the thoughts creating those feelings.??

Thoughts Create Feelings and Feelings Drive Actions

The truth is that we have a lot of knowledge as accountants, but the one thing that no one ever teaches us in any classroom, prep course, or CPE seminar is how to actually make it easier to BE an accountant.

That’s where I come in.? I teach smart accountants how to be smarter, and that all starts with understanding The Model.

The most important thing you need to understand is that your actions are driven by your feelings, which are, in turn, created by your thoughts.?

For example, thinking "This task is too hard" or “There’s too much to do” will lead to feelings of frustration, causing you to procrastinate. On the other hand, more empowering thoughts like “I will figure this out” or “I will focus on one thing at a time” will lead to much more proactive behavior.?

If you want to know why you aren’t taking action, just look at how you’re feeling.? Ineffective feelings lead to ineffective action.? Every.? Single.? Time.??

In fact, what I explain to my coaching clients is that trying to get accounting work done when you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or frustrated is like putting the parking brake on and trying to drive 100 mph.? It doesn’t work.

Common Thought Patterns For Accountants

So, if our thoughts create our feelings and our feelings drive our actions, then wouldn’t it be incredibly important to be aware of what we’re thinking?? Yes!

It’s also important to be aware of common thought patterns that accountants have that are getting in the way of you taking action.

Here are several common thought patterns that can stop you from taking action:

Perfectionism: Striving for flawless work can lead to paralysis by analysis. For example, spending excessive time perfecting a report can prevent you from moving on to other tasks.

Comparison: Measuring yourself against others can create feelings of inadequacy. Seeing a peer’s success can trigger thoughts like, "I'll never measure up," leading to inaction.? Since we’re in a smart profession surrounded by other smart people, comparison and Imposter Syndrome can stop us in our tracks.

Fear of Failure: Sticking to the familiar out of fear can prevent growth. You might avoid new opportunities because you're thinking, "What's the point of trying if I'm just going to fail anyway?"

Practical Steps to Overcome Inaction

So, if you notice you’re not taking the action you want to or need to take, here are some practical steps you can take:

Awareness Practice: Spend a few minutes each day observing your thoughts. Write them down without judgment to identify unhelpful patterns.

For example, if you notice you’re feeling overwhelmed by a large project at work, don’t start your work day until you’ve spent 5-10 minutes writing down your thoughts about the project.??

Notice which thoughts are unhelpful or unuseful. By becoming aware of these thoughts, you can start to see patterns that contribute to your inaction. Awareness is the first step to making changes.

Challenge Your Thoughts: When you notice a negative thought, challenge its validity. Ask yourself if it’s based on facts or assumptions.

For example, if you notice you’re thinking, "I'm terrible at managing my time," challenge this thought by examining evidence to the contrary.? Recall a time when you met all your deadlines or a day when you effectively balanced multiple tasks.

This will help you reframe your thoughts to something more positive and realistic, like, "I’ve managed my time well before; I can do it again."

Set Small Goals: If you haven’t broken down the things you need to get done into smaller, manageable steps, it’s no wonder you’re not taking action. The truth is that an overwhelmed brain will never take effective action so make sure you’re breaking things down as much as possible.??

For example, if you need to prepare a complicated tax return, the first step could be to simply review the prior year return.? The next simple step could be to make a list of documents needed.??

The bottom line is that small, manageable goals make tasks less intimidating and help you maintain momentum.? If you want to take action, get your brain on board by not overwhelming it.

Accountability: Share your goals with a colleague or someone you trust, where you can support each other in taking action.

For example, if you want to stay on track with professional development goals but find it difficult to stay motivated, form or join an accountability group with colleagues.? You could schedule weekly or bi-weekly check-ins where each member shares their goals and progress.?

Bottom line: if you’re only accountable to yourself, you might have an issue taking action.? However, regular check-ins and the support of peers can help keep you motivated and accountable.

Remember, change starts with awareness and a willingness to rethink your approach. If you aren’t taking action, you need to be willing to do things differently.

I hope you take the insights from this article and start applying them today - but only if you want to see a significant difference in your productivity and overall job satisfaction.

If you’re interested in becoming a Smarter Accountant, you can take The Smarter Accountant Quiz at www.thesmarteraccountant.com .??

If you want to learn more about the reason why you aren’t taking action, check out this episode of The Smarter Accountant Podcast ?? https://thesmarteraccountant.com/the-reason-why-you-arent-taking-action/

You can also download The Smarter Accountant Podcast Guide at https://thesmarteraccountant.com/podcast-guide/