Do you have big plans for your life? Dreams that you want to turn into a reality? This is often easier than done, especially when you don’t know how to start taking action in the first place. Below are some ways to help you more effectively turn your thoughts into actions, no matter how crazy they may be.
Start By Making A Plan
Usually, when someone has a plan in their head, it can be a bit chaotic and maybe hard to see exactly how to get there. This is why you should start by making a physical, written-down plan of what you want to do. This will give you a better view of where to go to start. This will also help you to break your goals down into more manageable steps. Don’t think that just because you write a plan that it has to happen exactly that way either, as once you start to take action, you can come back and adjust your plan as needed.
Stop Overthinking Everything
One of the reasons you may find yourself unable to turn thoughts into actions is probably because you are overthinking everything. The above step of making a plan should help you to clear up your overthinking a little bit as you write things down. But if it doesn’t, other mental relaxation techniques like meditation, talking something out with others, and taking a deep breath can help you stop overthinking.
Remember, you aren’t perfect, and that isn’t what you are trying to achieve, so there is no reason to fret over your mental plan being perfect.
Figure Out What Is Stopping You From Taking Action
If you’ve done the two above steps but still can’t seem to turn your thoughts into action, it’s time to figure out why. Are you scared of failure? Too distracted? Waiting for the perfect time? Any of these can hold you back as you work to make your thoughts become a reality. If you leave them unchecked, you will never be able to take meaningful action. So once you discover why you can’t seem to take action in your life, work through why and eliminate it from your life so that it is no longer a reason.
Turning your thoughts into action is often easier said than done, especially if you aren’t sure where to start and are overthinking everything. The trick is, you need to figure out what is stopping you from turning your thoughts into action, cut out the overthinking, and start following a plan that you have written down—and before you know it, your thoughts will become actions!
Of course, it helps to have a dose of perseverance and tenacity – in equal amounts.
Let’s talk about tenacity and perseverance.
These days, they are quickly becoming virtues that are being more and more neglected. Whereas hard work and sticking to your guns was viewed as something desirable in days gone by, today anything demanding and strenuous is often frowned upon.
It’s common for people to whine and complain when things get hard. We’re looking for the easy button and are usually able to find it. Often, the easy way out is simply to give up and do something else.
As we’re losing our ability to be tenacious and persevere, we’re losing out on a lot of good that comes from these vital virtues. We don’t feel the pride that comes with hard-earned success. We aren’t as productive and have gotten much better at distracting ourselves. We don’t get the huge boost in self-confidence one gets from accomplishing a seemingly insurmountable task. Could this be part of the reason we’re seeing more cases of depression? It’s possible. Feeling self-worth is an important part of being happy and fulfilled in life.
The big question then is what can we, as individuals, do to bring back these vital virtues of tenacity and perseverance?
Start by practicing tenacity yourself daily. Get better at it and stop being distracted or giving up as much. Start small and keep working at it and getting better at it. Learn to persevere when things get hard and do them anyway. Set an example for those around you. Trust me, they will start to notice.
In addition to setting a good example, share perseverance and tenacity with those around you. If you’re a parent, make it a point to teach your children. Make seeing tasks through to the end a requirement in your house. You’re teaching your kids important life skills that will serve them well throughout school and adulthood.
Influence those around you. Require tenacity and perseverance when you work with others, teach them, or have them work for you. Practice tenacity and perseverance, and expect the same from those around you. As they start to notice the many benefits that come from this, they will hopefully start to practice it more and ideally pass it on to others as well.
Don’t be afraid to speak out when you see someone giving up too soon or getting distracted too easily. Tenacity and Perseverance are vital virtues that are worth bringing back.
Do your part and watch your own life and that of those around you change for the better. You may not be able to change popular culture all by yourself, but you can change the culture of your family, your business, your workplace, and your own small community for the better.
