The Naked Truth About Changing Your Life (Part 3 of 3)
TAKE ACTION (Part 3 of 3)
So far in this series, we've covered the first two steps in making change that lasts:
OPEN YOUR EYES See yourself and the world around you from new perspectives.
OWN YOUR SH*T It's critical to truly own your good, bad, and icky bits in order to move forward.
And here is where the rubber meets the road - the step you've been waiting for...
3. TAKE ACTION
A WARNING to all you do-ers out there, do NOT skip steps one and two.
I know what's in your head...
"Yeah, yeah, I get it...be present, look at new perspectives, admit to my shortcomings and my strengths... I get it. Now let me start crossing some sh*t off my list!"
Here's the problem..
You've always taken action.
You've tried new things.
You've tried the same things again but with extra effort.
You've paid for stuff that promised to help you.
And over and over again, on this thing, this thing that you want so badly to figure out or to create, you always end up with fleeting or partial results. You never quite get all the way there.
Do not skip steps ONE and TWO...
It's not enough to understand them.
It's not enough to consider them while reading about them and nod your head.
These steps will change the kind of action you take - they will change the way you take those actions - and they will alter the outcome of those actions.
You have to put them into practice before you start taking action.
ONCE YOU HAVE...
This Week: TAKE INTENTIONAL ACTION EVERY DAY
Before we get started here, I want you to recognize that any action is better than no action. And yes, practicing steps one and two Open Your Eyes and Own Your Sh*t count as action.
Now it's time to take that crossing things off a list kind of action, and I want you to think about it differently than you have in the past.
Every action is an experiment.
They are merely a way to figure out what moves you forward and what doesn't. That movement may be difficult to begin, but it will be easier to maintain once you're going. (Think riding a bike - the first push on the pedal is rough going, but as the wheels start spinning - the pedaling gets easier.)
How to take intentional action that will move you toward transformation:
Filter any action you're considering through the lens of your core values. Ask yourself does this action get me closer to or further from those values?
Be crystal clear. I'm going to try X (the idea/action) because Y (the emotional why). Your brain loves this formula, it will help keep you motivated.
Make it TINY. Too often we think we need a BIG solution to a BIG challenge. Nothing could be further from the truth. Transformation occurs as the result of many, many tiny actions.
The bottom line?
The way to transformation is through experimenting with tiny actions that are aligned with your values every single day. (After you've completed steps ONE and TWO, of course.)