Take Action!

Lately I have seen a lot of people who are overwhelmed, confused, and unhappy.  What I have noticed about some of these folks is that they don’t take action or they spend all their time doing the wrong things.

I know there have been many days when I have been sitting at my desk all day, perhaps longer than just the normal 9 to 5, and then asked myself, “What did I really get done?”  On these days, I definitely did not feel productive and instead, I just felt overwhelmed, even though I had put in more than a full day of work.

 

Then there are some days when I felt great and I knew what I was accomplishing was bringing me closer to my goals.  Those were days in which I was in action mode – working on the right things.  And it felt great!

 

So what sets apart inaction versus action and right and wrong activities?  Well the action is when you are working on your “high payoff activities.”  These are activities that bring you closer to your goal.  They do not include the normal “to-do list” items such as answering emails, filing and shuffling papers, and balancing your checkbook.  However, they do include anything that literally brings you one-step closer to your goal(s).  To figure out your “high payoff activities,” you need some clearly defined goals that you can break down into little fragments or mini-goals.  These mini-goals then become your daily high payoff activities to focus on.

 

We all have “to-do” lists that really do not bring us closer to anything but maybe a cleaner house or less junk mail on the counter.  Be kind to yourself.  Sometimes these things can wait longer.  Learn to ignore the little distractions in your life.  If I paid attention to all of them, I’d spend the majority of my day cleaning and re-cleaning my closet. While I’d have a clean house, that’s all I would have.

 

How do you get into action?

If you are having trouble getting into action, you need to assess a few different things.

 

1. Am I not taking action because this is not something I want to be, do, or have?  Or is my desire to take action not greater than my desire to not take action?  If this is the case, you may need to reassess where you are going and get aligned to your purpose and passion.  Maybe you are working toward goals that do not fit you or your purpose anymore.  In this case, it is okay to release them and start working on something that does bring you passion and purpose.

 

2. Is there a belief that if I try to do what I want, that I might fail?  If you have fear of failure or fear of success, know that this is normal and that many people go through these same emotions.  BUT the only way to get over it is to start doing something that counteracts that belief.  You will raise your self-confidence and self-esteem with each action step you take, so it is VITAL to keep taking action.  It builds momentum.

 

3. You do not know the “HOW” of reaching your goals. Many people have big dreams, but they are paralyzed because they cannot see the how.  “How” is a dirty little word when it comes to achieving goals.  Stop asking yourself (or others) this question, because the fact is, until you commit to your goals, dreams, or purpose, the how will never show up.  You have to first commit to them and then you have to be open to seeing the signs and receiving divine inspiration.  I promise, make the commitment and the “How” will magically show up. 😉

 

If you are having trouble getting into action, get support whether it is from a friend, a mentor, a coach, or a group of like-minded people.  Start taking action today. There is no time like NOW.

 

“To be successful, you have to do what successful people do, and successful people are highly action-oriented.”

~Jack Canfield

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(c) 2009, 2010, 2011 Behind The Moon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

Feel free to share this article in its entirety and include the Bio information below along with live link back to this blog post.  Thank you.

Thank you Andrea Costantine for this contribution.  Andrea is a writer, speaker, and wanna-be artist, focusing on the good things in life.  She is a perpetual optimist, lover of nature, yoga, travel, and new experiences.  Learn more about Andrea at www.andreacostantine.com

Don’t Just Like It… Love It! Leveraging Facebook

by Sabrina Risley

With the aid of the Internet, it’s easier than ever to reach a larger audience and attract people.  Whether you are a Fortune 500 company or a small business start up, social media is an integral part of most successful marketing plans and can have a remarkable impact to your bottom line.  Facebook can become a playground where we squander precious time, a commodity of which we don’t have much.  If you keep these 5 factors in mind, you can leverage your Facebook time for greater impact.

VALUABLE CONTENT – Post useful information in your area of expertise, establishing yourself as a subject matter expert.   This can include helpful tips, a link to an article, blog post, or newsletter that your audience would find interesting and appreciate knowing about.  This touches on what is known as content marketing… attracting connections and establishing credibility by providing information of value. 

JOIN GROUPS & FAN PAGES – Search for and join Facebook groups and fan pages that interest you and complement your business.  For example, a realtor might join real estate investing or home improvement Groups.  Review profiles of group/fan page members and extend friend requests to those you would want to meet if you were at a live networking event.  Take it a step further and don’t just “like” a fan page, show you love it by posting comments and sharing links on the wall (if allowed).  You might also consider starting your own Group or Fan Page.  Whether your own or someone else’s, make the best use of groups and fan pages by getting involved and sharing valuable content.

LIMIT YOUR TIME – Limit your time to 30 minutes per day.  Some don’t feel they can even afford to give up 30 minutes to spend online.  Frankly, you can’t afford not to.  When you think about your Facebook time as marketing, networking and building relationships, you will want to spend more time online.  Break your 30 minutes into two 15 minutes sessions if you feel it would help you.  Logout of Facebook when you are done to limit distractions or notification alerts.  Lastly, change your Facebook email settings so that notifications, messages and invitations are not coming to your email Inbox. 

BE AUTHENTIC – People want to know who you really are so let them in on the personal side of you.  Share your goals, passions, hobbies, weekend adventures and what you enjoy doing in your spare time.  Keep in mind that people buy from people, and sharing a bit of your personal side deepens connections as people get to know the person behind the business. 

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS – One of the greatest benefits to Facebook is the ability to form relationships with online connections.  Support your connections by “liking” their posts, leaving a comment under their post, or actually endorse their post by “sharing” it with your friends.  If you identify a potential power partner, send them a message to start a dialogue.  Let them know why you are interested in their background.  For example, a realtor might be interested in connections that work for a home cleaning service, plumbing, flooring, and mortgage companies.  Invite them to meet in person to see if you can form a working relationship or referral partnership.

It’s never too late to get online.  With more than 500 million users, Facebook cannot be ignored.  If you are strategic and intentional about your time online, Facebook could become one of your favorite and most impactful networking and marketing tools.  

(c) 2011 Behind The Moon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

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Feel free to share this article in its entirety and include the Bio information below along with live link back to this blog post.  Thank you.

Sabrina Risley founded Behind The Moon, Inc.® in 2003, a Colorado-based networking and referral group organization that sets itself apart with its motto “grow your business by helping others grow theirs.” Behind The Moon offers several networking events across Colorado’s Front Range, as well as referral groups that attract professionals who network to give rather than get.  You will find Sabrina speaking to audiences about effective networking techniques, the power of partnerships, and principles of service and giving as a means to grow a business.  To learn more about Behind The Moon, please visit http://www.BehindTheMoonInc.com.