Action Oriented

In the time of World War II somewhere in the UK, a man was crowned the new prime minister. As with many other politicians, some wished he never took over, some very much the contrary but one thing was clear: by the time he took over position, he was desperate to set the wheels in motion and get into action. Indeed, an action fanatic in his own right, he would give every subject his intense thought but would waste no time in unnecessary consultations. As a matter of principal –if he took action immediately, so must his subordinates. In fact, orders were given out the minute he was done musing and with a bright red label written above it “Action This Day”.

He was Winston Churchill.

Let’s face it. People who are natural leaders and at the top of their profession share one common quality –they get things done. This trait is without a doubt essential for a leader could have plenty of brilliant visions and sophisticated plans, but oftentimes their credibility is judged based on their ability to convert those visions and plans into action. As society grows more and more sceptical, it is important that more action is done in the midst of all the talking. Unfortunately, in spite of this simple basis of leadership, the world is perpetually on constant shortage of people who actually excel at getting results.

As part of a progressive organization, we want to cultivate the action habit. We want to tell people that nothing good comes out of procrastination. The problems you put off will not disappear or resolved by playing cold turkey –it will continue to haunt you eventually.

So why put off what you can do today, tomorrow? For one, an action-oriented person does not wait until conditions are perfect. Sure, you often hear people saying “I’m waiting for the right time,” –but the next thing you know, when the ‘right time’ comes along, the opportunities have passed. They sit stumped while you stay unconvinced. In reality, there is no perfect time to start –if you wish to be successful, you would grab the opportunity the minute it arises.

Granted, a big part of taking action is to know when to decide. Making a decision is not easy especially when there are a lot of things at stake such as money and manpower. However, going over a decision again and again, overcome the emotional rollercoaster and the whole dynamics will come down to nothing if you do not put those ideas into action. Be a doer. As great as the human mind is with its ability to generate thoughts and such, that alone doesn’t always work in getting the validation of others. If your goal is attractive enough for you, don’t sit upon it too long. The longer you do, the weaker it becomes. Decide quickly, and then pitch it.

Alright, so we are aware that people, in general, are intimidated in making decisions over a certain fear of deciding on the wrong one. It happens. But while making a decision might lead to failure, the act of not making any guarantees failure. Fear stunts growth in every sense of the word, and yet it is similar to a dream in your sleep –just another trick of the mind. Many individuals suffer from stage fright –even professional public speakers have anxiety attached to them before going up on stage but the minute they get started, the fear disappears. The process gets easier. Confidence builds up. Congratulations.

Remember: In nightmares, waking up cures it. As for fear, action does.