While completing a book study on Atomic Habits by James Clear, I jumped into the idea of "motion vs. action". What it highlights is an interesting concept that motion and action are not the same thing. I want to share with you how we as entrepreneurs can get "stuck in motion" and suggestions for pushing ourselves into action.
Stuck in Motion
When you are in motion, you are planning, strategizing and learning. In my opinion, motion is very useful and necessary for making an idea, product, or service a reality. However, according to James Clear, motion can give you a false sense of accomplishment. You feel as if you are being highly productive when in reality, you are just preparing to get things done.
In my experience and work, I have found that uncertainty breeds fear. The more fear we have, the more likely we are to get stuck in motion versus taking action. This makes perfect sense because the second we go to take action, we put ourselves out on the line for rejection and failure. As entrepreneurs, we are always taking risks and there seems to always be a degree of uncertainty. I believe that we want things to be perfect, so we stay in motion out of fear that we aren't good enough to take the next step (among other fears). I have definitely experienced this in my own journey.
Clear also suggests that when preparation becomes procrastination then it is time to turn motion into action.
Take Action
I love the old adage, "Actions speak louder than words". Action is the art of putting your plan into motion. In my experience, this is easier said than done. As entrepreneurs, it is making that phone call, driving traffic to your landing page, etc. Being busy is a badge of honor in our culture. Our culture loves a busy person, so motion justifies being busy. As entrepreneurs, and even I find myself guilty of this; we find ourselves in the "motion rut". How can we get out?
Stop the Vicious Motion Cycle
Don't get me wrong, I do not think motion is a bad thing. In fact, I believe motion is necessary for action to take place. However, as with all things, when the scale starts to tip and we are now just avoiding what we need to do...here in lies the issue. How do you know when you are stuck in motion? I like to ask myself the following questions:
How long have I been in motion?
What was the last action I took?
What action can I take today?
Being aware that you are in an endless cycle of motion is the first step of taking action. For instance, if you find yourself saying things like, "I've been talking and researching about this..." or "I've got a list of potential clients". This is great, but have you implemented what you've been researching? Have you made the call to your potential clients?
My Best Hacks
Just like many other entrepreneurs, I am human and have a tendency to get "stuck in motion". These are my two favorite hacks for pulling myself out of motion and propelling myself into action.
Put action dates on a calendar. For example, "I want to call x potential new client by this date".
I like to chart the activities I do every day that my company actually gets paid for. In other words, I ask myself, "What did I do today that I will actually get paid for?".
Imperfection is Okay!
Practice makes perfect! Your first attempt may not be perfect, and that is okay. For instance, let's say you release a new mobile app. More than likely, you will release at least one update that improves upon the app because it has imperfections. No one is going to remember that your first attempt wasn't the best. Don't be afraid to take the leap! Get out of motion and into action!