Previously posted June 7, 2016

This post has been ruminating in my head for some time now, and today is the perfect day to turn it loose.

It occurred to me a while back that I both read and write a lot about self-improvement, productivity, and generally trying to be better every day.  The issue is not the reading and writing about the topic (as it is clearly worthy), the issue is the lack of action following the reading and writing.  I have been talking about losing 30 pounds for roughly six months and have managed to shed about three.  Basically we’re talking some serious self-help nerd thought porn here.  Could that be a hashtag?  Oh yeah.

So why is today the day for this post?  One of my virtual mentors, Ramit Sethi, beat me to the punch.  Not that he suffers from the same lack-of-actionitis, but because he called out all of us who do.

His post is interesting because he nails down why many of us fail to get anywhere on what we really want to do.  There are any number of psychological or emotional rationalizations, but the short version is lack of action.  Any meaningful action has been delayed by more planning, more learning, more excuses.  The quote that hit home for me is “I would rather read – and apply – one book, than sit comfortably by a fireplace and read 20.”  There’s no need to read every book you can get your hands on relating to productivity, or weight loss, or any self-improvement, if you don’t implement what you learn.  Even if the material is not the best, putting it into action will move you forward.  It will not only allow you to exercise the discipline needed, but will give you a chance to change course as you go (if the plan is not working).

Also, I love the not-so-subtle challenge thrown out about how each of us has the innate potential to do 10X more than we currently do.  I love reading, so I’m going to have to get faster at it.  More important, I commit to putting these ideas to work.

How about you?