Over the years, I’ve learned so much from the hundreds of books I’ve read.
But as they say, nothing changes if nothing changes.
I believe knowledge is (potential) power, but action is real power. We have to take action if we want to see anything change in our lives or accomplish anything that we desire.
If you have difficulty taking action, Peter Hollins offers his wisdom in “Think Less; Do More.”
Don’t Try To Be Perfect
Everything starts with a thought. From the relationship that you’re in to your current job, it all started with a desire. We all start at the beginning as amateurs. In the same way that you wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) go into a new job trying to be perfect, you wouldn’t start any new goal trying to execute it flawlessly.
Perfection is often dependent on external conditions. Many of us wait for things like “when the weather is better,” “when I move to a new neighborhood,” or “ when the moon is in Aquarius.“
Perfection leads to procrastination, which leads to inaction.
Instead of relying on things to be perfect, act because you said you would, and you’re committed to what you want.
Just get started with what you know or have right now. It doesn’t matter how small the first step is, but it will help you build momentum and confidence.
Take Calculated Risks
Taking calculated risks doesn’t necessarily mean investing your money in the stock market.
There are important steps to overcoming fear and getting what you want out of life.
The first step is to get really clear on what you want. One of the most important questions to ask yourself is, “What is something you haven’t yet achieved or learned that would add meaning or richness to your life?“
The next step is to assess any possible risks to getting what you want. Here, it’s important to understand what you’re dealing with and the likelihood of different outcomes. Again, get real specific.
The third step is to understand what the impact could be of the risks. For example, what would be the impact on your life in any given worst-case scenario? But Peter also reminds us to examine the other side of that coin and consider the impact of getting what you want (the benefits). Could it be the best thing to ever happen to you?
Once you assess the possible risks, figure out what the probability of those risks is. In getting specific with this step, assign a number value to the likelihood of an outcome actually happening. It’s the combination of the impact of the risk and the possibility of it happening that you want to pay attention to.
The last step would be to make a plan that will guide you based on the number value you assigned to the risks and benefits. Peter provides some great questions to ask ourselves during the planning stage…such as, “How would someone with your values choose to act in this scenario?” or “Are there some positives to the worst-case scenario?”
Looking for new ways to do things brings change to the world.
Final Thoughts
I love the reminder that doing nothing is a choice, so why not choose to do something?
Peter tells us that what we do, we become. He even tackles how to deal with “imposter syndrome.“ Feelings of inadequacy can be complicated to overcome, but he has a great antidote for that. There are so many great actionable steps in this book that this blog could never cover them.
Having scratched the surface, though, I hope this has sparked something in you to stop procrastinating and start thriving in life by taking action.
Thanks for reading!
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Sachi Reads Daily 