Success Principle 13 – TAKE ACTION!

“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle”

What we think or what we know or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do. The world doesn’t pay you for what you know; it pays you for what you do. There’s an enduring axiom of success that says, “The universe reward action.” Yet as simple and as true as this principle is, it’s surprising how many people get bogged down in analyzing, planning, and organizing when what they really need to do is take action.

When you take action, you trigger all kinds of things that will inevitably carry you to success. You let those around you know that you are serious in your intention. People wake up and start paying attention. People with similar goals become aligned with you. You begin to learn things from your experience that cannot be learned from listening to others or from reading books. You begin to get feedback about how to do it better, more efficiently, and more quickly. Things that once seemed confusing begin to become clear. Things that once appeared difficult begin to be easier. You begin to attract others who will support and encourage you. All manner of good things begin to flow in your direction once you begin to take action.

The bible says, “In every labour, there is profit, but the talk of mouth only leads to penury.” In other words, talk is cheap; anyone can talk. But what will bring result is action. To be successful, you have to do what successful people do, and successful people are highly action-oriented. Apart from creating a vision, set goals, break them down into small steps, you also need to take action. What action do you need to take? Do you need to enroll in the course, get necessary training, call the travel agent, start writing that book, join the health club, sign up for those piano lessons, or write that proposal?

Nothing happens until you take action. If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to meet it. Successful people have a bias for action. Most successful people I know have a tolerance for excessive planning and talking about it. They want to get started. They want the games to begin. Of course, Planning has its place, but it must be kept in perspective. Some people spend their whole lives waiting for the perfect time to do something. But the truth is, there’s rarely a “perfect” time to do something. What is important is to just get started. Get into the game. Get on the playing field. Once you do, you will start to get feedback that will help you make the corrections you need to make to be successful. Once you are in action, you will start learning at a much more rapid rate.

What are you waiting for? It’s time to take action! Have you ever noticed that the last six letters in the word satisfaction form the word a-c-t-i-o-n?  In Latin, the word satis  means “enough.” What the ancient Romans understood clearly was that enough actions ultimately produce satisfaction. So, what are you waiting for? Take action today!

NOTE: Adapted from Success Principles By Jack Canfield.