Tag Archives: Action

#111: “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

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– Mark Twain, author

This quote reminds me of the one about climbing the ladders of life: we must be sure that the ladder is leaning against the correct wall.

As true as this may be, we must also be vigilant, placing one foot in front of the other to progress to our goals.

In my many years of coaching, I have seen some people continually set the same goals and objectives, putting in only modest effort and making minimal progress. In our rapidly moving world, an individual or organization that makes little or no progress often gets left behind by their competition.

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Exercise:

What booster rockets, high-test fuel and massive action would it take for you to reach your goals faster and amaze yourself?

#86: “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but the seeds you plant.”

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– Robert Louis Stevenson, Scottish novelist and poet

Harvest time is only a small part of the growing season. My wife and I grew tomatoes last summer, and we sure enjoyed harvesting them at the end of August.

The process of growing them, though, was a bit more involved and time consuming. It included purchasing seeds, preparing the soil, watering, providing sunlight, adding plant food, watering, adding more plant food, more watering … you get the idea!

Exercise:

What seeds can you plant today? What care and attention will they need daily, so that you can have a successful harvest in the future?

P.S. Make sure you enjoy the process of gardening and not just the sweet fruits of life.

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#67: “Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire…”

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“…sincerely believe and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass.”

– Paul J. Meyer

How many blogs, newsletters, and books have you seen that tout the “X steps to success” and then go about taking up a few hundred pages to describe them?

Meyer’s quote contains four simple steps:

  • imagine = dreams = vision
  • desire = passion = purpose
  • belief = core values = authenticity
  • action = results = achievement

Exercise:

Select one area of your personal or professional life and go through these steps.

Repeat as often as you wish.

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#45: “Not everything that is faced can be changed…”

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“…but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

– James Arthur Baldwin, author and activist

Like most people, I do a lot of thinking about the world: about what I like and about what I don’t like. This includes thinking about myself. Thinking is a starting point for changing something in our world and in ourselves.

As this statement suggests, not everything can be changed. Rather than seeing ourselves as weak or powerless to change things, we must move beyond thinking to acting on our commitments. We need to act, alone or together, to change the things that we can.

Exercise:

Where in your world can you move beyond thinking about change and face it head-on to realize the change you desire?

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#32: “A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart and set out to accomplish it.”

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– James Allen, philosopher and writer

Life purpose, making a difference, and living a meaningful life are fundamental to happiness.

How can you find your purpose and life direction? How will you know when you are heading the right way, and when you’re getting close to arriving?

Exercise:

List your top 20 – 30 core values.

Cut this list in half, and then in half again, to get to the real core.

Next, create a life vision statement, using all of the final list and perhaps most of the second list of values. Wordsmith this vision until you feel it is 100% you.

Now use your vision statement as the context to inspire your actions in every area of your life: it can help you become happier and more fulfilled.

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#27: “Our doubts are traitors…”

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“…and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.”

– William Shakespeare, playwright

I had a hard time reading Shakespeare in high school – I just didn’t fully get it. Maybe it was my impatience or perhaps I can blame my English teacher!

This quote for me is about fear and how it stops just about all of us in our tracks. Perhaps if we really, really focus on the good we wish to do, then we will find that secret life lever that will have us try, leap, and attempt, in spite of this fear.

Exercise:

Where is fear keeping you from the good you might do?

Where can you find the courage to overcome this fear and make the attempt?

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#26: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

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– Anonymous

I think I may have heard this quote or similar ones more than just about any others. When we think about the word “adventure,” we can see how many of us desire more of it.

Think about your last vacation to a new destination, or a visit to a new restaurant, or an exotic food that you tried for the first time … even a new person who you met.

“New” is one of the most provocative words of our time. But sadly, most of us only venture out on holidays, weekends, or other special occasions.

Exercise:

What do you have to gain from venturing out on a daily basis? Where will you begin today?

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#21: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

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– Theodore Roosevelt

Many of us are waiting for the perfect time, the perfect person, for all the stars to align before we take action, and before we will be happy. Even if this were to happen occasionally, it never seems to last. What then?

Roosevelt was both a visionary and a realist, charting the course to a better future while still taking into consideration the reality of our daily lives.

Exercise:

Look at the day ahead of you. What can you do with what you have and where you are?

You may surprise yourself.

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#9: “If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it…”

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“…If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.”

– Nora Roberts

It seems to me that all life involves some form of risk. The risk of failure and the risk of rejection stop all of us from time to time.

Many people find that the regret of inaction is far more destructive to a full life than almost any failure. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

What goal, what relationship, what adventure is worth the risk for you?

Exercise:

What are your FEARs? Perhaps they’re only False Evidence Appearing Real.

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