Thinking is often much easier than doing; however, thinking alone never leads to outcomes. Moving from the dream in your head to implementing the actions required to move from point A to point B is where the hard work lies. But, if that’s the hardest part, how do we get better at moving from thinking to action?

If we simplify the secret to achieve the next goal, it is the ability to shift from the thinking phase to the action phase, over and over again for a sustained amount of time. It is the ability to get out of your head and get into action, especially when you don’t feel like it.

On your marks, set… GO!

This concept of mastering the transition from thinking to action makes me think about responding to the starting pistol as a runner competing in track and field. I competed in track and field from middle school to college. If you have ever watched track and field, then you know that every race starts with an official shooting a starting pistol in the air.

The official says: “On your marks” …. “set”… then you hear the sound of the starting pistol, which is your cue to RUN. Your goal is to get moving. Once you hear that starting pistol, it is your time to move from visualizing how you are going to run the race to actually running the race.

In our pursuits in life, we want to avoid hearing the starting pistol go off and simply standing in place. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time, place, and phase of the work when thinking and planning are critical. However, sometimes we get stuck there, thinking at the starting line.

Once we’ve visualized the goal, it is time to shift from thinking to action.

Time to start moving

Maybe this post is here to remind you that the race has started. Not the race with other people, but your personal race, your life. There has been time to think about your goal and now it is time to respond to the starting pistol and get moving.

I get it; sometimes it is hard to move because the journey ahead seems too difficult. But, you know what? We have no choice but to move. You will only get there (your goal) by moving, by doing something.

So, this is a little reminder to get out of your head and into action. You thought about it and visualized it ad nauseam. You’re ready. There’s nothing else to do except to start doing.

Sometimes, it really is that simple.

This week’s goal:

Within the next week, let’s focus less on talking and thinking about it, and more on doing it. You don’t have to make a grand announcement to anyone around you about the actions you’re going to take. You don’t need major accountability partners for this one, you just need to lock into yourself and make the decision that in this next week, you are going to respond when you hear that starting pistol go off.

Block out the noise, the inner voice of doubt, the overthinking, and even other people if needed.

If we can get better at shifting from thinking to doing, we can get closer to whatever goals we desire to accomplish next.

The motto for the next week: Get it done.