Action fuels thought, puts things into process. Action is what drives this world. Procrastination and laziness are an observer’s tools. Unless you take action, things won’t work out. How to break out of such negative behavior and develop a more action-taking attitude? How to move from being a mere observer of life to becoming an action-taker?
1. Stop Over-Analyzing The Past
Snap out of your past and reconnect with the present moment. Breathe deeply 10 times and focus intensely on your present life and the immediate actions you need to take. When you get into this mindset, action will flow out of you without much effort.
2. Tell A Bunch Of People What You’re Going To Do
It’s not hard to take action when you’ve committed to others, especially loved ones. You certainly don’t want to disappoint anyone, or face up to them as a failure. Telling others is a way of getting some support, when your motivation is low.
3. Involve Others To Help You Take More Action
For example, if you’ve taken a gym membership, it helps to have a friend ask you for updates daily and perhaps remind you of your schedule. To use this kind of support, you have to meet the support half way.
4. Be Answerable To Yourself
Being answerable to yourself instead of to others is a sign of greater maturity. Set your own standards and work according to them. This is definitely a healthier option, especially in the long run. The pitfalls are that you might start justifying your failures and become complacent over time.
5. Don’t Take Things Too Seriously
You don’t want to blow up your tasks till they resemble huge blimps high up in the sky, scary as all hell. It helps to relax a bit and view things in the right perspective – as things that need to get done. When you do that, any task begins to feel simpler and actually doable.
6. Don’t Overload Your List Of To-Dos
If you’re not used to taking action, a huge to-do list is only going to swamp you. You’ll feel great when you’re writing it down though. Then the list starts looking scary and insurmountable. Write 2-3 items and do them first and leave the rest for later.
7. Choose To Take Action Instead Of Being Forced To Take Action
If you wait to do something till that something becomes a life or death issue, it’s that much harder to do it. Remove all the ‘must-do-this’ or ‘have to take care’ aspects of your life. Just choose to do it and the action becomes easier.
8. Focus On The Process And Not On Possible Hurdles
There’s always a ‘What if’ around every corner. Don’t get lost in the ‘what ifs’ – rather, focus on the process to solve your problem. When you focus, you develop a positive and more creative attitude, when action seems very possible.
9. Build Enthusiasm In Yourself
Wake up every day with a positive, enthusiastic approach towards the day’s tasks. This puts you in a good emotional state for taking action. You’ll have to work at this a little every day and soon it’ll become a part of you.
10. Start With Something Small First
If you’re currently not doing anything at all, then start with something small. You may not want to start with your most difficult task, either – pick up something that you can accomplish quickly and then sit back. Ponder the next task.
11. Do Something Different
If you’re set in a rut, it helps to jar yourself out of your complacency. Do something different for a change. Change how you dress, or take a different route home from work. Or, if you’re used to doing things in company, do them alone.
12. Picture Your Future As It Stands Now
Consider your present lassitude and inability to take action. In 10 years time, do you see yourself supporting yourself? Or do you see yourself at the mercy, and control, of others? Picture your life and allow that image to flood your being. It’s a wakeup call.
13. Make Plans For Your Future
When you start making plans, you envision movement, something to do. Plans are always good, as they motivate and make you look ahead. Do you want to save X amount of money and take a vacation? Do you want to buy a house? Plans help.
14. Believe In Yourself
The thing about motivation and taking action is that no one can help you after a certain point. You have to believe in yourself in order to make things happen. Self-belief and self-esteem can grow only if you’re willing to allow them to grow.
15. Try Professional Counseling
If, after all these points, you find that you are in a true slump, get some counseling. Contact a support group right away and talk to a professional. The signs you’re experiencing might indicate clinical depression or anxiety.
This article is contributed by Invesp. a specialized provider of landing page designing , multivariate testing and website usability services.