Action Vs. Inaction

When presented with a situation, our decision of what to do is often hindered by factors outside of our control. We might be impeded by not having enough time or money for an activity; we may be afraid that the activity can't be completed properly — we might have too much work to accomplish and no time for it; or maybe we just don't feel like doing anything at all. But if you find that you're stuck in inaction, here are some ideas on how to break out of your state and move forward.

● Make a list: Inaction can quickly turn into procrastination. If you're trying to figure out where you want to go in life, start by making a list of all your interests and hobbies. You can even make a list of things you've always wanted to do but for some reason haven't gotten around to yet.

● Start doing something: Ultimately, you have no choice but to take the first step when it comes to accomplishing what you want. If you're scared of making a change, there's no way around it — just ask yourself if you can be satisfied with the present situation forever or not. For example, if you want to learn how to play an instrument, start off by learning one song and slowly build your way up from there. i

● Just do it! Sometimes, when we're paralyzed by inaction, we forget that taking the first step can be the hardest thing to do. It's scary to venture into uncharted territory — but once you get started and dive right into it, you'll start feeling better.

● Don't think about everything: Sometimes, if we focus too much on all the pros and cons of an activity or decision, we end up wasting time overanalyzing every detail of it. You might be surprised by how many positive things there are to be found in taking action — if you keep yourself focused on one thing at a time. For example, instead of thinking about all the things you could do with your life, just choose one set of activities – to go camping for the weekend or take a new approach to your piano recitals — and put your energy into it.

● Surround yourself with people who support you: Everyone has different ways in which they deal with their fears and uncertainties. If you trust yourself and are comfortable in your own skin, taking risks will seem quite natural to you. But if you're uncertain about some aspect of a decision, it's easy to prevent yourself from having the courage by thinking too much about it because people around you may not be as supportive as you'd like them to be. One good way to inspire yourself to take action is by hanging out with people who will be cheering you on no matter what your decision.

● Take control: Sometimes, when someone is telling you not to do something — whether it's because they think it's too dangerous or they have something against the action in general — it can be quite helpful if you take control of your own life and figure out why that person doesn't want you to do what you want. It can also help in getting rid of negative thoughts about why an action won't work out as well.

● Take criticism: If you take any risks, there will be people who will criticize you for it and tell you that you're wrong. These people might not know what they're talking about, and even if they do, they'll probably never fully understand your intentions and motivations. But this doesn't mean that you shouldn't listen to what these people have to say — as long as it's constructive criticism, which isn't just someone being negative about something that happens. Criticism can be vital in helping us make decisions about how we want our lives to be — learn from others who've gone through similar experiences before.

● Take a break: Sometimes, when we want to do something but are too busy, it can be difficult to remove ourselves from distractions and focus on our intentions. But doing so will allow you to work on the task and see if it really was worth pursuing in the first place — which is good for your own self-confidence.

● Have fun: Sometimes, all that's needed to shake off inaction is a bit of fun — get yourself together, become part of something exciting, or go out with friends and spend some time having fun.

● Make yourself feel good: People often have trouble committing to doing something because it'll require them to feel a certain way — for example, you might need to feel physically stronger in order for you to run a marathon, or as if you're doing something important. But if you make yourself feel good about your actions, then it's likely that you'll want to do them more often.

● Learn from past mistakes: Another important reason why people often don't take action is because they're afraid of making the wrong decisions. As much as we'd like to think that we can learn from our past experiences and mistakes, sometimes we end up repeating old habits which won't allow us to achieve our goals in the future. If you've tried something before that didn't work out, don't just give up — learn from your mistakes and try again.

● Be grateful for what you have: Stop looking at the things that trouble you and instead, make a list of all the good things in your life — like a health or job. Don't be so focused on one aspect of your life that you forget about everything else.

● Don't think about failure: If failure seems like too large of a consequence to go through with certain actions, then it's no wonder we're stuck doing nothing. Rather than think about the negative aspects of failing, start thinking positively about the chances you have of succeeding if you really wanted to. If you know that a project will take time and hard work, then consider yourself lucky that it's not nearly as easy as falling off a bicycle.

● Have a plan: Just because something might not be working for someone doesn't mean it's never going to work for you. However, having a plan before getting started is crucial in making sure everything goes as planned and gives you enough time to figure out why your first attempt wasn't working.

Conclusion

In the end, it's important to keep in mind that there are no negative consequences to taking action. Whether what you do ends up being successful or not — and even if you tried a hundred times and failed every single time — there's always the chance that something will work out eventually. If it doesn't, you'll learn from experience which can help you make progress in your future endeavors.

Remember: it's always better to try something and fail than to do nothing at all. After all, as they say, "the only failure is not trying". Act on what matters to you today rather than thinking about it for years to come.