You already know the importance of taking effective action. Goodness knows you try. Sometimes it’s harder than others. Think of those ten pounds you’ve always wanted to lose but never do. The habits you want to break. The habits you need to form. For some reason no matter how much we want the result, we find it difficult to take the action to get it.
There are lots of reasons we don’t do what we say we want to do. We’re tired. We don’t want it as much as we think we do. We may have old thought patterns and beliefs that hold us back.
One way to break through the barriers to action is to look closely at the outcome. What do you want and why do you want it? What will it do for you to get there? How will you feel? What difference will it make in your life, in your results, in the way you view yourself to finally take the action you have in mind? Get the real sense of it.
When you can connect to the why of the outcomes you want, you have moved from action (“I have to do this”) to strategy (“I am choosing to do certain things and not others because they get me where I want to go”). You gain focus and momentum. You get moving.
Exercise:
What action do you want or need to take now?
Why do you want to take this action?
What will it do for you to finally get this action underway? What will be improved or changed?
How will you feel?
Envision yourself doing the action. Notice how good it feels to finally be moving. Get a real sense of what it looks and sounds like, how it feels, and how effective you are when you take this action. What do you want to say to yourself to gain and maintain your momentum?
The ideas in this article are drawn from The Inner Edge: The 10 Practices of Personal Leadership and the accompanying eBook called The Extension. The eBook is designed to give you simple, engaging personal leadership exercises and activities to help you be a better leader, and lead a better life. Get your copy today! Click here for a Preview and to Order.