Robert Browning, an English poet and playright, once said, “The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.” I have to say…Robert Browning couldn’t say it any better.
I come across so many people, who have great ideas, yet fail to act out on them. Why is that? It’s common sense; the greatest idea in the world is useless unless someone acts on it. So, why do so many fail to execute? There are many reasons why individuals tend to procrastinate.
Some are afraid of failure and/or even success. Some lack focus and are confused on where and how to start. Others wait for perfection…researching, planning, and researching a bit more in hopes of one day achieving perfection prior to implementation. And there are those who simply avoid obstacles.
But guess what? Fear is normal. It’s the feeling of the unknown that scares folks. Norman Vincent Peale explains: “Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.” So, to overcome fear, you must take action.
If you’re confused and lack focus, simply simplify. Grant it the big picture/goal may appear complicated at first, but success follows when you break it down into baby steps. Create a to-do list of all the basic actions required to achieve the desired end result. Then set immediate time goals on when to achieve each task. Upon completion, celebrate your results. To many, Albert Einstein was a pretty successful man…so trust when he says…”everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”
I myself am a perfectionist. I tend to procrastinate on action taking due to a desire for achieving the perfect plan or foundation prior to implementation. But what I’ve come to realize is that there is no such thing as perfection. For instance, while something may look imperfect to me…it looks perfect to others. Or, while something may look perfect to me…it looks imperfect to others. Furthermore, while “perfect” may be achieved, times change; so, you’ll still have to evolve. I’ve concluded that you’ll only need to lay the basics, the simpler the better, to take action. Then as the business grows and time permits, you can sprinkle complexity here and there.
For those who avoid obstacles, learn to overcome them. Think about it…how would the world be if there were no obstacles? That means anyone and everyone can obtain anything they want with no effort, no work, and consequently no appreciation. You have to reprogram your mentality of obstacles. Obstacles are not road blocks. Rather, they are hidden tests of your strength. They are opportunities disguised, and upon completion, they are appreciations gained.
Remember, there are planners and doers. A planner may have the greatest idea, but without action, achieve nothing. A doer on the other hand may have the dumbest idea, but with action, may achieve great results. For instance, how many times have you seen an invention, and then thought to yourself…I had already thought about that? So are you a thinker or action taker? And if you are an action taker…remember there is no better time than today. The past is gone and tomorrow may never come…so take action now.