Ascendant Life Alignment Blog

Ready, Set, Action : How to avoid common pitfalls, Part one of "The Art of Taking Action"

6/1/2021

Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
Dalai Lama
An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied.
Arnold Glasow
You can become successful at something without knowing what you're doing. You can become successful at something without having much particular talent at it. But you can never become successful at anything without taking action. Ever.
Mark Manson

A few years ago, as I was experimenting with a new painting process, found myself producing an evocative Art series that people kept commenting on.
It struck me that they were all seeing different things in these paintings: some would see a butterfly where someone else saw a dancer or the open chest of a man. And so for the first time I thought “Wow, it would be such a rich event to have an Art show with this series! It feels like it would be so enjoyable to share our multiple visions with each other!” and I started to dream a new dream...
Only, I am an introvert, and at that time I was an amateur artist ~ this vision of having an Art show was so inspiring one moment and so scary the next!
And so... I had no clue how to manifest my vision.
If on your journey you have clarity on what you want: congratulations! Clarity that comes from your heart’s desires is a most powerful calling. But, if you struggle to bring that clear vision to life, you are not alone.
Taking action starts with visionYou see it in your mind’s eyes: you are thriving in this new profession, or fulfilled in a loving relationship, or maybe you see yourself cozy in a beautiful home, or expanding your skills in a passion of yours! Maybe you’ve even visualized it with all the delightful feelings that come with it and bring you to a new state of harmony. And so, naturally, you are taking steps to get closer to your dream. This is what we call inspired action: truly the most enjoyable momentum to be in ~ we wish taking action would always be that way!However, most of us have experienced the crucial gap between our vision and taking the first step.
What is in the way? And why does it sometimes feel like standing on the edge of a cliff overlooking an abyss?
Let’s look at some of the most common obstacles to taking action, along with some powerful quotes to inspire you to get unstuck from each of these particular ruts:

1. Self defeating beliefs
When faced with new goals and a new set of actions, it is quite natural to feel inadequate at first. As kids, when we were learning to walk, we would simply fall and try again. But somehow, as adults, we expect to either be good at something or decide instantly that it is not for us. If we don’t immediately know what to do, we tend to have self-defeating thoughts such as: “I’m not good enough,” “ I can’t do this,'' “I don’t have what it takes that other people have.”
First step: While overcoming self-defeating beliefs requires a lot of inner work, you can start by remembering one time in the past when you succeeded. How did you feel at that moment? What qualities did you demonstrate? And finally, the key: How can you apply these qualities to this new situation?
Here are some useful perspectives to take into account (for my fellow quote lovers!):
You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.
Zig Ziglar
It isn't confidence that comes first, but taking action. Confidence follows action.
Scott Allan, Do It Scared
The undertaking of a new action brings new strength.
Richard L.Evans

2. Perfectionism and analysis paralysis
If you are a perfectionist, you may tend to wait to have the perfect plan of action to get started. In this case, before you've even taken the first action, you’ve already run the whole story in your mind with all the possible obstacles and imperfections that may get in the way. In other words, you may have visualized a fear-based scenario for your own future. Your ability to envision is working against you.
First step: The good news is that if you can visualize negatively, you can visualize positively! Visualize yourself accomplishing your project smoothly and with ease. This is called "process visualization" and has been used with great success by sportsmen such as Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods, and Michael Phelps, the most successful Olympic athlete of all time.
If you turn up worrying about how you’re going to perform, you’ve already lost
Usain Bolt, champion sprinter
You'll never plough a field by turning it over in your mind.
Irish Proverb
A little deed done very well is better than a mighty plan kept on paper, undone.
Israelmore Ayivor, Daily Drive 365
Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear.
Norman Vincent Peale

3. Procrastination
It makes sense that we would put off unpleasant actions even when we know they are necessary: taking a difficult exam to advance our career, giving notice to our day job, telling someone difficult news to hear etc. However most of us tend to procrastinate any actions that are outside of our habitual routine. While getting in the shower every morning, performing a chore at work or even taking the trash out are normal activities, however pleasant or unpleasant, any unusual activities can seem like an extra amount of effort. Even organizing an expedition for an exciting vacation can seem like a lot — simply because we have never done it before. If we tend to postpone unusual actions, then it is even more true of actions that are outside of our comfort zone. We tell ourselves: “I’m not ready yet. I’ll do it tomorrow. Sometime later I will be ready.”
First step: Take the first step! Even a tiny step will help you get in motion.
The fact is: we can only do one thing at a time! So if we spend our time thinking, we cannot also be acting. In order to act, we have to STOP THINKING and get into ACTION MODE!
A lot can be said to help overcome procrastination. For now I want to invite you to consider this:
When we pause and wait, we lose the will to move forward and allow doubt to creep into our minds. One average idea put into action is far more valuable than 20 genius ideas that are being saved.
Chris Shilling

I hope that the refreshing perspectives coming through these quotes will inspire you to take action and stay aligned with what matters to you. Taking action is a practice we can only get better at by practicing!