Taking action is the most important thing you can do to accomplish your goals. While planning is a crucial first step, it should never be your primary focus. Without action, you have nothing.
Take Control and Identify Your Resistance
To take control, you must figure out what is holding you back. Overthinking or procrastination are not the causes. They are the result of your resistance. The truth within you that must discover if you want to keep moving forward. Often overthinking is due to fear. Fear of making mistakes, stepping outside of your comfort zone, or simply the unknown. Whatever it may be, don’t avoid it. Recognize it and accept it, then find ways to work with it or around it.
Focus Less on The Problem and More on Solutions
While highlighting the problem is important, it should never be your primary focus. Your main attention should stay on the solutions or actions you take to do better. Identify the exact steps you can take to get where you want to be. Instead of dwelling on the things you can’t control, define the actions you can do to change whatever you want to change
Learn to Let Go and Forgive
Let go of regrets or past mistakes and failures. Find the lesson to be learned instead of allowing yourself to stay stagnant.
Stick to Deadlines and Short Time Limits
Planning is an essential step of business and the most successful thing in life. However, it can quickly be your worst enemy if misused. You must establish strict deadlines and time limits to ensure you stay on the path and don’t permit yourself to slack off. It allows you to stay organized and better focus on each critical thing in your life. Keep daily to-do lists short and to the point and only allow a certain amount of time to make solid decisions or think about your actions. A plan of action steps and deadlines are only an idea.
Try The 2-Minute Rule
The two-minute rule has two ideas attached to it; If it only takes two minutes, get it out of the way, and if you want to start a new habit, start with only two minutes. The idea is that anything can be done in two minutes. It is such a short amount of time that you are unlikely to avoid it.
This little bit of time gives you the momentum or inspiration that you need just to get started. This same concept can be adapted further to prevent you from overthinking or planning too long. Keep your planning two minutes long, and don’t create action steps that take any longer. Then over time, as it gets easier, you can increase the time you need to get it done. In the end, the best way to end overthinking is to get out there and try new things, experiment more and educate yourself as much as possible. The more knowledge and experiences you can take on, the more confidence you will gain to keep acting instead of staying behind.
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TIME TAKES TIME: Make sure to check out this monthly panel hosted by Connected Calm Life Coach & Sober Curator Lane Kennedy. On the 1st Thursday of every month, you can listen to or watch one full hour of content featuring a rotating panel of guests who are in long-term recovery from substance abuse disorders. Our definition of long-term recovery is 10+ or more years.
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Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
