03 Jan Which of These 5 Things Is Holding You Back from Taking Action?
Something that lies within is holding you back
When it comes to taking action, you may find that it is easy to think and plan; or to be in theory mode rather than practice mode. When it comes to taking action, you simply aren’t sure which direction to take. It could be because something that lies within is holding you back. This is where critical self-reflection plays a key role.
Which of the 5 things listed below is holding you back from taking action?
1. You Are Afraid...Plain and Simple
The first reason that many people don’t take action in their life is that they are simply afraid.
Is that the case with you? Whether it is fear of failure, fear of making mistakes, or fear of disapproval, it is restricting and often keeps you from taking any action in life. It’s best if you strive to identify the source and overcame the fear to remedy the situation, sooner rather than later. Lingering fear can keep you stuck in a place you may not want to be personally, in business, or in relationships. Face your fear.
2. You Are Waiting For Perfect Conditions
Perfection is one of those elusive beliefs that can keep you stuck in theory and perpetual planning rather moving into than practice and action.
Do you think of yourself as a perfectionist? The truth is the time will never be right for anything you may have planned in life, and you need to accept that now.
Waiting for the perfect conditions to take action is like waiting for a mountain to move—it could happen, but it is highly unlikely and may take thousands of years. Instead, you need to know there is no time like the present and go for it now. Move forward in action sooner rather than later.
3. You Compare Yourself To Others
Are you constantly looking at how others accomplish things, thinking that you couldn’t possibly get to where they are?
When you compare yourself to others like this, you are downplaying your own journey in life and forgetting your own uniqueness. This can make you feel bad about yourself and prevent you from taking the actions you need.
Remember this: Your life experiences, your purpose, and your vision are uniquely your own. That doesn’t mean don’t learn, seek advice, or utilize the expertise of others. Just do not compare yourself to others. Treat your life journey uniquely and take action accordingly.
4. Procrastination Is Your Companion (This Is a Big One)
This is a sure sign that you are not taking action.
Procrastination can be anything from excuses for why you can’t start something to distractions that seem to arise whenever you do decide to take action. Dig deep to discover why you are procrastinating. Have you always procrastinated or are there specific triggers that are more emotional than rational? There are distinct phases we go through when it comes to completing a task: deciding to get started; planning how to complete the task; and defining when the work is done.
Anywhere along the way procrastination triggers—boredom, frustration, difficulty, stress, ambiguity, or lack of structure, reward, or meaning—can sneak in and throw you off track.
5. You Just Don’t Know How To Begin
The final thing that could be holding you back from taking action is that you aren’t sure how or where to start.
This is critical when you are venturing into something new like launching a new business, expanding into a new market, or something really bold like eradicating racism.
The good news this: Whatever the reason, it is easily remedied by writing out your goals and breaking them down into steps. From there, you will see the actions you can (and should) take to get started.
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