Tag: action

A BIRD WITHOUT WINGS? 🐦

Salvador Dali, crazy talented artist. Check out that mustache! Here ol’ Sal makes a pretty good point. Many people think that improving yourself is just about learning more. It is actually a balance of learning more and putting that knowledge to use. We can learn all we want, but if we fail to act on it, well…we might as well not have learned it at all. I would not only say act, but act boldly. Many times we need to act to learn vital pieces of information. As the saying goes, you do not know what you do not know. Meaning, often when acting on knowledge you think is complete, you realize that a vital piece of that knowledge is missing.

One of the most “interesting” areas that this comes into play is in relationships. Whenever you are dealing with two human beings there will be unexpected events that crop up. This is not only to be expected, but can be one of the greatest opportunities for growth. When I learn something that is supposed to improve a relationship, I can’t wait to use it with the love of my life. It is often with Margie’s help that I learn a tweak that will add greatly to the tool or strategy that I just learned. When two people work together they multiply their efforts.

Acting on the knowledge you have gained will only add to that knowledge. The more you do anything the better you get at it. That is because you learn things along the way. Just as acting without knowledge (think of driving a car without knowing how) can be dangerous. It does little for us to learn something without putting it to use. I see many people who spend years researching the best way to lose weight. They would have been better to just start walking and learning along the way. Act with the knowledge you have now and build upon that knowledge as you move through life.

Lastly, make that action bold. If you are going to love, love boldly. If you are going to give, give boldly. The more intense the action, the greater the knowledge and results. Even if you discover that action is not right for you, this will be learned quicker if the action is bolder. Learning isn’t worth much if we do not couple that knowledge with action.

EXECUTE NOW! 🎬

One of the great secrets to success can be summed up in just one word – action. In any aspect of self-improvement, action is the key to success. If you are trying to tone up a bit and get that beach body, what will get you closer? You could search for the perfect diet, the perfect workout and the perfect trainer. This could take forever, because what works for one person does not always work for another. Other than weight loss from the stress, you wouldn’t get any closer to a better body. What if you just tried to drink some water and go for a walk after dinner? It may not be perfect, but it will at least get you a little closer to your goal. Plus, you can research as you walk or sip your H2O.

Far too many people spend all of their time planning, and little if any, taking action. Taking action is also one of the best ways to discover what does and does not work for you. It also gives the gift of something else. That gift is momentum. When you start to see the effects of your small actions, you are motivated to take more. It continues in an upward spiral. The same can be said in the negative. The failure to take action can lead to feelings of overwhelm and hopelessness. This can lead to depression. Taking action is the antidote.

Whatever goal you are currently pursuing, take action towards it today. It may not be the perfect action. It may not even be the right action, but you will find out a lot sooner by acting than by sitting back and planning. You will also build momentum. This could not be more valuable to get you moving in the right direction. Even if it is a small action, take that action today.

SELF-IMPROVEMENT OR SHELF-IMPROVEMENT?📚

Here is an idea I heard from Dr. Livingood, whose coffee I really enjoy! What is shelf-improvement? You might ask. Is it making sure a shelf is sturdy and properly hung? No. Is it improving a shelf with a little bit of paint or stain? Again, no. This is what happens when you buy a book, CD, course or any other item with the intent of improving yourself, only to read a small portion, if any, of it and place it on a shelf. I am guilty of this myself. You have heard the saying, “Knowledge is power.” That is not true. Knowledge is only potential power. With out assimilation and action, it has little, if any, effect on our lives.

My books, especially the first two, are of little good to anyone if the tools and strategies inside are not put into action. The first one might help cheer you up with the smiley face on the cover. The second one has a great tropical theme, but neither one will radically transform your life without putting to use what is inside. There are even people who read a book, try something for one or two days, and declare it doesn’t work. If you are going to invest money in purchasing something, time in reading it, do yourself a favor and invest the energy and discipline in actually doing what is inside.

Here is a book that I have picked up, read a little and designated to the ‘shelf-improvement’ file. I am sure Mr. Mandino would not be thrilled with that. You can see, I am as guilty as anyone of this. What is the solution? Realizing that NOTHING will work if we do not. I like to compare self-improvement with a fitness journey. You could spend a lifetime researching the best trainers, the best diets, the best gyms or you could just get outside and start walking. You will eventually learn what works for you and how to make it better. You will learn a lot quicker by doing, than by reading, thinking and planning.

What self-improvement items have become shelf-improvement items in your life? Aren’t you worth the effort to put these things into action? It can be difficult to maintain the discipline, but that is what will make it worth it. I would love to hear what books, courses or other items are shelf-improvement items in your life and how you plan to put them into action! If you are interested in picking up any of my books, just click the link below. Just remember to use them when they arrive!

CLICK HERE TO ORDER ONE, OR ALL, OF MY BOOKS!😊

THE 2 KEYS TO SUCCESS

This blog is dedicated to helping you live an amazing life, which shouldn’t be too surprising given the title. One of the key elements is to develop plans to achieve success. Then, to break down those steps into simple workable plans that we all can implement. That is true of today’s post as well. The two keys to success. What it comes down to is needing to elements to succeed in any area of life – a vision and action.

It is all rather simple. Our vision will determine what kinds of actions we will take. If you goal is to be fit your actions must reflect that vision. Certainly eating a large pizza for dinner every evening would not get you there. Why is it then we often find ourselves taking actions contrary to our vision? We have a vision of ourselves being fit and full of vitality but then find ourselves having a cup of coffee and a twinkie for breakfast because we are running late. In this case we must take a hard look at our vision. Is it truly something we want or are we doing it to impress someone else in our life? Perhaps it is something we truly want but are still having a hard time maintaining the proper actions that correspond to that vision. What then? Then we must look at the reason why we desire that vision in the first place. What would being fit and healthy get for us? What would we lose by not being fit and healthy? We must strengthen our why.

On the flipside is people who take a lot of action but have no clear purpose. I equate that with getting in a taxi and giving him a million different directions all at once. Chances are you will not get very far if anywhere at all. Having a vision helps us guide our actions. We can see if we are getting closer to our vision (taking the right actions) or getting further away from our vision (taking the wrong actions) It is important that we then adjust accordingly.

Having a clear vision and not taking any action gets us just as far. Maybe your dream is to own a beautiful home in a lush tropical setting so you can spend your days lost in creating a brilliant literary masterpiece. Then again, maybe that is just my goal. The point is, if you just sit and dream of it every day, you are no more likely to get there than someone who has no goal. Our vision must be strong enough to inspire action. Inspired action that can be measured against the ability to draw us closer to our vision.