Georgia’s Career Success Tips

Your intentions may be noble but you are defined by your actions.

Podcast transcript

Today, we’ll look at the word action.

What does it mean? Action is the accomplishment of something, typically to achieve an aim or objective. Action can also be used to describe random movement or effort, but we typically think of action in terms of moving toward the completion of a task.

Pause for a second and think about how you feel when you hear that word. Is your reaction different, depending on who is saying it?  Could be your boss, your spouse, a friend, or even a director on a movie set – makes a difference doesn’t it?

So, if you have been procrastinating regarding an action or a decision, when you make the decision or  actually take action, you feel a sense of freedom, don’t you? And, doesn’t this take you one step closer to a place you would like to be? I’d like to share this quote.

“The successful person makes a habit of doing what the failing person doesn’t like to do.” – Thomas Alva Edison

Thomas Edison was an incredible change agent for America – the inventor of numerous things, including what we know today as the light bulb. It is important to note that he had an incredible number of failures prior to his success. The point is that he took action – transforming his thoughts to action to produce new products. He succeeded numerous times but he failed many more times. He became one of the most significant examples in American history – risking failure, each time he acted on an idea.

For many of us, fear of failure is the most common barrier to taking action. How can you get past this fear?

Well, here is my first creative tip for you: Especially when you are working on something new and outside your normal comfort zone, you can perform a simple exercise to move you in the right direction. Have you ever noticed how young children play? How do they handle learning how to do something new or different? They usually jump in with both feet – not stopping to think about being afraid of trying something new. Let’s say you are right-handed and have never eaten with your left hand. Take a minute and visualize you, yes you, doing this same way they did something new? Are you smiling yet? Think of three new things you could try for a week and write down your results.

Now, here is my second creative tip for you: Ask yourself “what is the worst thing that could happen if my first attempts at action don’t go well”? How many times during your life have you heard “Practice Makes Perfect”? You have been placed on a committee and will have to stand and give periodic reports to the group.  You are absolutely terrified of public speaking. Before you have to get up in front of the group, practice your comments at home in front of the bathroom mirror – until you become more comfortable.  See if repeating it over and over again helped and made it easier. Then write down three things you learned by practicing this tip.

I’d love to know how you did, so if you would like, leave me a comment below or send me a quick email to let me know how practicing these tips changed your day. The email address, dedicated to you, is:  podcasts@kamama.net

In closing, I give you a quote from Dan Green, entrepreneur, “To finish strong, you first have to begin.”

Until next time, this is Georgia Day, creator of Georgia’s Career Success Tips Podcast – As always, my passion is your success!