Taking action is different than being in motion.
Sure, at first glance they seem to be the same. But as James Clear explains in Atomic Habits, they are different.
When you’re in motion, you’re (as they say in the South) fixin’ to. Planning, theorizing, strategizing, getting a handle on, talking about.
When you’re in action, you’re doing something that will deliver a result. Writing, calling, creating.
Just Spinning
It’s super easy to get stuck in motion – aka being busy – and think you’re accomplishing something. Then at the end of the day, you look back and feel unsatisfied. The reason is because you haven’t actually DONE anything.
Running in circles keeps you in motion, but it makes you dizzy and doesn’t move you forward.
Of course, there are times when planning and learning are necessary. The issue is when you confuse that place with what will get you the outcomes you’d like.
Here’s an example. You think about writing your book. You talk about what you’ll include in said book. You ponder how to arrange the chapters and which topic to cover first. But you’ve yet to sit down and start writing. And keep writing, consistently. It kinda feels like you’re doing something to move forward with the book when you spend all that time focused on it. Yet at year-end, you don’t have a book and you’re exasperated with your lack of follow-through, discipline, insert your own term here.
Confession Time
I am guilty of spending way too much time in motion instead of action. And I’m just now realizing it, in part because I’m one of the last people on Earth to have not read Atomic Habits before this week. (Anyone else not read it yet?) Damn, this concept explains a lot about my frustrations!
You can’t fix something if you’re not aware of it. Now that I’m aware, I can take action. 
Challenge
- Where have you been stuck in motion for too long?
- What ACTION can you take on it today?
- What help do you need before you can act and can I be of assistance?
Get your own copy of Atomic Habits if you don’t already have one. You’re gonna want to highlight and take notes. (FYI, this is an affiliate link, so I might make $2 if you buy the book.)
⚡️I’m on a mission to teach the world to be calm and grounded, no matter what’s going on around you.
After living life for 40 or more years, you may find yourself looking around and wondering, WTF happened! When you’re ready to say, “F*ck Being Fine,” I’ve got a way for you to do that. Let’s chat.