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Winners Take Action Steps
We've been programmed to start at the beginning and finish at the end. After all, that's how you read a book, run a race, pursue your education, follow a recipe, and eat a meal (except for those who like to have dessert first).
Successful people know you must start at the end to have what you want. "Begin with the end in mind" says Stephen Covey. So, what is it you want, and be specific? That's your starting point - the end!
"To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you're going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction," Covey continues.
Ah, but that is the problem for many people. You are stuck before you even take a step or you are stuck with the steps themselves. Action is never taken. Why? Three reasons.
You are stuck with a "poor me" attitude. You are a whiz at playing the blame game, complaining, making excuses, and wallowing in self pity. You are unable or unwilling to accept responsibility for your life. It is always someone else's fault, so there's no need for you to act. Jack Canfield says it best: "It is time to stop looking outside yourself for the answers to why you haven't created the life and results you want, for it is you who creates the quality of the life you lead and the results you produce. You - no one else. To achieve major success in life - to achieve those things that are most important to you - you must assume 100% responsibility for your life. Nothing less will do."
What can you do? Reality check! You already know that you are not getting what you want and that no one is handing it to you on a silver platter. Complaining and blaming is not working, and what's more, it's eating away at your insides. You must step up to the plate, accept responsibility, and move forward. What is one step you can take to get out of this rut? It doesn't have to be a large one; take a small step at first. The point is to do something. If that doesn't work, do something else. Don't know what to do? Ask for help, look around and copy others who have achieved the success you want, read, network, and get yourself out there. Keep putting one foot in front of the other as you leave "poor me" behind.
You are stuck in analysis paralysis. Action never comes easy to those who are bogged down with their research. Does that describe you? You never have enough information to make a decision and/or you overanalyze the information you do have. You are always questioning yourself. Do I or don't I? So you do nothing. Life passes you by as you remain in analysis mode. And you're stuck analyzing why!
Now I'm not a proponent of hasty decisions, but you must draw the line somewhere and take action. Trust in yourself to make the right decision with the information you have on hand. Ask yourself what is the worst that can happen if you act now. How easy will it be to start over or change direction if need be? How much will you miss out on if you do not act now? The first step is always the hardest, but do it anyway.
You are stuck in fear. Fear raises its ugly head and stops many dead in their tracks. You are afraid of failure and mistakes, afraid to even start, afraid of change, and yes, even afraid of your own success. Perhaps you've failed one too many times before and can't handle another failure. Fear never goes away; it is always lurking on the sidelines. Acknowledge it and recognize your fear as a stumbling block on your path to success.
Successful people do not allow fear to wrap its ugly arms around them. They feel the fear and do it anyway, as author Susan Jeffers advocates. Nothing ventured, nothing gained is true. You must go out on a limb, get out of your comfort zone, and take risks to reach your goals. Look at fear as your caution sign, not as your stop sign.
"I have found that the one thing that seems to separate winners from losers more than anything else is that winners take action. They simply get up and do what has to be done. Once they have developed a plan, they start. They get into motion. Even if they don't start perfectly, they learn from their mistakes, make the necessary corrections, and keep taking action, all the time building momentum, until they finally produce the result they set out to produce...or something even better than they conceived of when they started," says Jack Canfield in The Success Principles.
Take action now to achieve the success you want!
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