There’s an enduring axiom of success that says,“The Universe rewards action, not thought.” Yet as simple as this principle seems, it’s surprising how many people get bogged down in the analyzing, planning and organizing stages when what they really need to do is to simply take action.
“What we think or what we know or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do.” – John Ruskin
When you take action, not only do additional resources come your way, but you get feedback that helps you adjust your course and refine your approach.
In my seminars, I conduct a very illustrative exercise. I hold up a $100 bill and ask participants if any of them would like to have it. I stand in front of the room, and wait until they “get it.”
Usually, after several seconds, someone jumps out of their seat and rushes forward to pluck the $100 bill out of my hand. I then tell the rest of the audience that they, too, could have been the one to get the money if only they had taken action.
The Importance of Taking Action
The truth is, while most of us know a lot about earning money, making things happen and bringing about change in the world, only a surprising few get to have all the abundance, glory and satisfaction this world has to offer—simply because they are the select few who consistently take action.
Taking action is the one thing that separates the winners from the non-winners…the haves from the have-nots…and the high achievers from the everyday people.
Perhaps you’ve already seen someone create a big win in their life, only to grumble to yourself, I could have done that. Or perhaps you’ve watched as a co-worker launched a new project that included your ideas—only to conclude that you stood by while they took action.
How to Start Taking Action
The simple fact remains that, in life, we are not rewarded for what we know, but for what we do. @JackCanfield (Click to Tweet!)
Of course, many people don’t take action because they’re fearful of the consequences.
Perhaps they feel they don’t have permission or perhaps they’re more afraid of failure than they are of success.
Successful people realize that failure is an important part of the learning process. They know that failure is just a way we learn by trial an error. Not only do we need to stop being so afraid of failure, we need to be willing to fail. I call this kind of instructive failure “failing forward.”
Simply get started, make mistakes, listen to the feedback, correct and keep moving forward toward the goal.
Of course, one major benefit of taking action is that it’s a key factor in putting The Law of Attraction to work in your life.
Step 1: You have to ask for what you want.
Step 2: You have to believe it will come about
Step 3: You have to create a vibrational or emotional match in order to receive the results when they come your way.
When you’re in action—doing research, connecting with people, finding ways to accomplish a goal—you are sending a powerful signal to the Universe that you expect and anticipate meeting that goal or enjoying that experience soon.
After all, you wouldn’t be doing all that work if you didn’t expect to be living that new life sometime soon, would you?
How to Learn to Take Action: The Rule of 5
A powerful strategy to get you in action and keep you in action is something I call The Rule of 5.
Here it is:
Every day, do five things that will move you closer to your goal – five concrete action steps.
If you’re self-employed, do five things to grow your business.
If you want a promotion at your job, do five things a day to improve your skills and knowledge so you’ll be eligible to be promoted.
Even if you accomplish just five things each week, that’s more than most people do in a month to achieve their dreams.
I remember back when I was building my speaking career, I would send five letters a day to school districts and program directors for educator conferences for teachers, counselors and school administrators.
And later, when Chicken Soup for the Soul was published, I would send out five books a day to companies who could hire me to speak at their next industry event or sales meeting.
Practice your “5 Things a Day” habit and after three weeks – not only will you have taken major action toward your life goals, you will have developed a new habit of being pro-active in creating your future.
As the beloved originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series, Jack Canfield fostered the emergence of inspirational anthologies as a genre—and watched it grow to a billion dollar market. As the driving force behind the development and delivery of over 100 million books sold through the Chicken Soup for the Soul® franchise, Jack Canfield is uniquely qualified to talk about success. Jack is America’s #1 Success Coach and wrote the life-changing book The Success Principles: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be and Jack speaks around the world on this subject. Check out his newest book The 30-Day Sobriety Solution: How to Cut Back or Quit Drinking in the Privacy of Your Own Home. Follow Jack at www.jackcanfield.com and sign up for his free resources today!
Image courtesy of Ylanite Koppens.
