Tip Number 1: Just do it.
The first step is always the hardest. Your mind will come up with all sorts of scenarios to prevent you from taking that scary first step toward your goal. That does not mean you are a coward, though. It is just your brain’s way of defending yourself.
Sometimes, though, you have to listen to what your heart has to say and just do it. Everything else will be a lot easier once you get past the first hurdle – and that is to ignore your brain’s dire warnings and go with your gut instinct.
Tip Number 2: Doing something is not always a physical thing.
It is understandable if you mistook the need for taking action as doing something literally or physically. Yet you see, there are many other ways for you to take action without even lifting a finger. For that matter, consider the act of planning.
It is never wise to try achieving a goal without a plan. If you want to spend the least amount of time and effort in achieving your goal, then you need to come up with a step-by-step plan for accomplishing it.
A good plan takes into account all potential consequences as well as all the possible avenues you may take in order to reach your objective.
Tip Number 3: Breathing helps.
Are you feeling nervous or nauseous? It is normal to feel uneasy about doing anything to reach your goal. Taking action is often synonymous to taking risk. You are nervous because you know that risks can either end with success or failure, and who wants to end up failing?
Whenever you feel like there is a panic attack coming in, just take a deep breath. Better yet, take several deep breaths. Studies show how breathing can effectively clear the mind and help calm your nerves. So go ahead and breathe – inhale all the way from your stomach to take full advantage!
Tip Number 4: Take a page from the most successful books.
You may think that you are the only one suffering a certain kind of problem of a certain magnitude in this world, but you are not. With a little research, you are sure to find something in common with ordinary and extraordinary people.
You may not be a U.S. President like Bill Clinton, but you are running for a position and you have limited funds like Clinton for your campaign. What did Clinton do that you can do as well? In the end, it is all about finding the small but essential similarities.
Tip Number 5: Take baby steps.
Do not push yourself to achieve the same things with the same amount of time and resources the way other people had done. In the end, you have to remind yourself that every person is unique and, consequently, his own set of strengths and weaknesses.
Also, it could be that you are just starting out and the other person you are comparing yourself to is years ahead of you in terms of expertise and experience. The other person cannot afford to take baby steps, but you can and you should!
If you rush things too much, everything may end up backfiring on you.
Tip Number 6: Rome wasn’t built in a day.
This is obviously related to the above tip, but it is different in the way that it takes into account what you want to do with your time.
It is good to have a plan for everything, but you do not have to accomplish everything in a single day. Even if you have the energy to do so, the people around you and who also have something at stake in reaching your shared goals may not have the time and similar energy to do so.
Give them a break. If all of you have truly worked hard, then all you deserve to rest. There is always tomorrow to think about.
Tip Number 7: Do not pressure yourself.
Pressuring yourself is different from motivating yourself. Motivating yourself will get you to take action while pressuring yourself will only succeed in freezing your limbs and brain cells into a state of inaction.
There are sure to be other people and other sources you will receive a lot of flak and pressure about getting things done. Why burden yourself with more pressure when you can give yourself a pep talk instead?
Tip Number 8: A little competition is good – just do not make a big deal out of it.
Competition can make you take action because the more you delay, the further behind you will be in achieving your goal. Friendly competition is also effective for staying focused and getting you pumped up but be careful!
If you let yourself focus too much on the competition, then you may end up forgetting about the bigger picture. In the end, being too competitive may be another source of distraction that you absolutely do not need.
Tip Number 9: Believe in yourself.
Taking action requires you to have faith in yourself – especially when everyone around you is telling you that you cannot do it. In the end, you have to remember that you know yourself best. You know what you are capable of, and if you believe that the goal you have in mind is well within your reach, then it truly is – no matter what others may say.
Tip Number 10: Get a companion.
Just because you have someone with you and willing to help you out does not mean you were not strong enough to accomplish your goal. It also does not make your goal any less satisfying. If anything, the goal becomes sweeter because you have someone to share it with!
If you feel that you need your wife to be at your side to accomplish a particular goal, then go and make it happen and again – forget about what anyone else has to say. As long as you are not hurting yourself or anyone else, then there is nothing wrong with what you are doing.
Tip Number 11: Get someone to do it for you.
Taking action also does not mean that you have to do everything alone. Say your goal is to build a house. Does that mean you should do everything, from putting up boards and painting the walls? Of course not!
Taking action may also mean finding the best person to do the job. So do not be shy to admit if something is well beyond your actual KSAs (knowledge, skills, and abilities). There are just some things in life that are better left in the hands of an expert.