Feeling the Fear and Doing It Anyway

We all know the drill: productivity, daily plans, taking action. It's the mantra for getting anything of value done in life. Yet, for many of us, the very thought of taking that crucial first step can be paralyzing. We're gripped by a fear that if we take certain actions, a cascade of unforeseen, and potentially harmful, events might follow.

And here's the uncomfortable truth: you're not wrong to feel that way. When you take action, especially significant action, things will happen. Even when you're moving in the right direction, unexpected twists and turns are inevitable. Many of these can be disruptive, some even painful. A whole host of changes can pop up that wouldn't have if you'd just stayed put.

Embracing the Messy Path of Action

Can You Avoid the "Bad" Stuff?

So, how do we navigate this? Is there a magic bullet that allows us to take action without the "bad" things happening? In a word, NO.

The moment you commit to action and initiate change, other aspects of your life will be affected, whether directly or indirectly. The nature and magnitude of these changes depend entirely on what you're doing and what you're trying to achieve. But change itself? It's a guarantee. And let's be honest, most of us inherently dislike change.

We often observe people striving for big goals – starting businesses, moving to new cities, pursuing ambitious dreams – and witness the complications that arise. It's easy to look at their struggles and think, "They should have just left things alone. They should have stayed put and done nothing." We question their choices, their motivations.

The "Learn as You Go" Philosophy of Life

Conversely, we marvel at those who've accomplished great things, wondering how they knew what to do and when. How did they choose this path over that one? The simple answer is, they often didn't.

Life is fundamentally a "learn as you go" proposition. The only way to move forward is to take those action steps, observe the outcomes, and then decide on the next move. More often than not, those who achieve great things didn't have all the answers upfront; they learned along the way. This is, in essence, how it's always done. You take the chance, you learn, you might look foolish, you might feel embarrassed, you'll certainly make mistakes, and then you move on.

Embrace the Bumps, Minimize the Risk

The key is to not be afraid of the consequences. If you want to make changes in your life, whether big or small, changes will occur. The bigger the decision, the bigger the potential ripple effect. If you've identified a goal or a path that truly resonates with you, one that you know is deeply important, then you must embrace both the positive and negative sides of taking action.

Understanding that navigating these challenges will ultimately make you a stronger, better version of yourself can make accepting the "bumps" much easier. Because there will be bumps, no matter what. Your aim should be to minimize the risk where possible, and then just keep moving forward.

Take the good with the bad, and in the end, you'll come out ahead. You'll be ahead because you committed to something significant and saw it through to the end. While results are never guaranteed, and you may not achieve exactly what you set out to do, you will undoubtedly find yourself in a new, different place. Hopefully, this newfound position will inspire you to continue on the path of taking action and seeing things through to their completion.