Now is the Time to Take Action

Many of us have dabbled in some way in some type of self-help trend, from attending seminars to reading books, to research on the internet. We are very aware that knowledge is power, and we may hold everything we read and hear in our self-help arsenal of strategies. And there they stay, stored away in our memory anxiously awaiting the day that we bring them out to put them to work, for this information cannot come out on its own, at least not without telekinetic power! In order to put this knowledge to work, we must take action in order to create the change that we want, and often need. When you’re ready, here are a few things for you to consider: 

Remember, it’s not what you can do; it’s what you actually do. With the information you hold on how to make positive changes, you have numerous options. But having options is not the same as choosing an option and acting on it.  

Your thoughts and beliefs have more power and influence on your behavior than anything else. Remember, your mindset can be a catalyst for change or an insurmountable obstacle. Awareness is a vital part of taking action, and it is important to ask yourself questions to gauge your mindset. Examples may be: 

Am I okay with failing, or am I going to take the safe route? 

Are my thoughts about my goal positive or negative? 

Do I see myself successfully navigating my journey or getting held back by obstacles? 

Am I more concerned about the journey or the end result? 

Newton’s Law of Motion. Newton’s first law states that an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion. I certainly do not want to turn this into a physics lesson, but there is something to be learned from this law. If we do nothing and expect change, we will be greatly disappointed. But if we take action and get our journey toward change in motion, it will stay in motion as long as we continue trying. And remember, the bigger the goal we create, the more energy and will-power it will take to get there (Newton’s Second Law).  

It all has to start from somewhere. Maybe you have one goal, one thing you would like to change. Maybe you have many things you would like to change and don’t know where to start, which can be very overwhelming. Niccolo Machiavelli said, “One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others.” Change has to start somewhere. Think about walking up to the second floor. You begin by moving your foot out in front of you to reach the first step. Once you reach it, you see the next step ahead of you. Do you stop? Of course not! You keep moving forward until you reach the top of the staircase, but you would not have gotten there had you not taken the action of moving to the first step. 

Take Actions today by Considering These Ideas:

1. You have to do something for something to happen. Nothing happens until you act. You can’t wish or visualize your way to a plate of food, a fancy card, the partner of your dreams, or a successful business. Those things might make it easier for you to act, but you must still take action of some kind.
• Unless you are telekinetic, you can’t even make a paperclip move across your desk without taking action.
• The more you want to accomplish, the bigger the action you’ll need to take.

1. It’s not what you can do that matters. It’s what you actually do that counts. The amount of capability you possess only increases the number of options you have available.
• Having options isn’t the same as choosing one and taking action.

1. Your beliefs, values, and thoughts influence your behavior. For Example, if you believe that you’re smart, capable, and good-looking, your behavior will be different than if you believe that you’re simple-minded, incapable, and homely in appearance. Here are some examples:
• Do you believe that failure is fine or to be avoided at all costs?
• Do you believe that most people are inherently good or inherently bad?
• Do you value safety or adventure?
• Do you have positive thoughts about your goals or negative?
• None of these things has any actual power in the world; other than that they can alter the choices you make and the actions you take.

1. The low of averages is ultimately on your side. If your dream is to play the piano, you can certainly do it. You simply have to keep trying. A pro pianist might play a certain piece better than you do, but you’ll most likely be successful eventually.
• When you take action, you get a result. You’re bound to get the result you want eventually if you take action long enough. Eventually, the law of averages will pay off.
• When you do nothing, you always fail.

1. Action creates potential. When you take action, you can learn from your results. When you take action, things change. New opportunities become available. You might meet a new person that can help you get what you want. When you take the first step, the next step appears.
• Things start happening when you start moving. Nothing happens while you’re learning, scheming, and planning.

Things begin to change when your behavior changes. You’ve proven this to yourself thousands of times throughout your life. Your file changed when you started school, changed schools, and made new friends. Your life was different after you made permanent changes to your diet or started a new diet.

You can’t just accumulate knowledge, daydream, or make grand plans. You have to DO new things.

When your behavior changes, your life changes. How do you want your life to change? What can you DO to make it happen? When will you get started?