Action : You May Talk The Talk But You Must Walk The Walk

Action is the most important key to success.  Think about it.  Whether you are a self-employed business owner, entrepreneur, solo professional or an individual you are ultimately measured by your results which come from the action you take.

Action—It’s The Start

There is an old saying that states, “Learning without application is nothing.”  As a personal business coach I had a client who was a phenomenal learner.  But taking action was another story.

He would talk the talk.  But he would hesitate to walk the walk.  In a way, he was always tieing his shoes which kept him from walking.  Sometimes he would almost start something.  What was holding him back?  His fear of failure was great.

As a self-employed business owner he had experienced some good success.  The problem was that his business was growing and he wasn’t.  And, if he didn’t start taking some action things were going to go negative very quickly.

Action Cures Fear

There are many times I have been reluctant to take action because of my fear of failure.  But when you are running asmall business or starting up your own business you have to develop a mechanism to overcome that fear and to take your business and you to the next level.

The key for me is to remember the following.  I also got my client to memorize this.  “You are not judged by the number of times you fail, but by the number of times you succeed. And the number of times you succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times you can fail and keep trying.”

Take action.  It is the only way to overcome fear and it is part of the process for success.  You will find out what works and move forward.

Action Is The Bridge Between Involvement And Commitment

Very often I see people confuse involvement with commitment.  Commitment means taking a course of action and holding yourself and others accountable for the results.

Involvement is talking about action and results.  Involvement, more often than not, is the first step to commitment.  But only with action will you create the bridge between involvement and commitment.

Action Is The Bridge Between Strategy And Implementation

Smallbusiness success has many strategies.  But without action they are just that, strategies.  In a way, this is just another variation on involvement and commitment.  Action is the bridge between strategy and implementation.

My client was great at strategy and short on implementation.  As he turned his thinking around some amazing things started to happen in his business.

He started to regain positive momentum in many areas.  His employees were happier.  He was happier.  His fear was no longer a mad dog driving him into a corner.  His desire to take action and taking it became the mad dog that was driving his fears into a corner.

His self-esteem increased.  He was more likeable.  His employees started to see him as a leader instead of someone who was afraid to do anything that might bring progress.

Yes, action cures fear.  It is the bridge between involvement and commitment, between strategy and implementation.

Most important is the fact that action is the key to having a better business and a better life.  Take control of your business and life.  Talk the talk but make sure to walk the walk. Take action.