How to take action and keep doing it

Read time: 4 min

Hey my friend!

I wanted to start a business for 1-2 years. I was consuming tons of content to figure it all out. I thought I needed more information.

But I got tired of my inaction.

So I decided to start.

In a matter of 4-5 weeks, I:

• Figured out what to sell

• Created an offer

• Created a content strategy

• Set up Calendly

• Set up Stripe

• Wrote a contract

• Redesigned my LinkedIn profile

It took me 1-2 years to decide but 4-5 weeks to do.

I realized that this gap between the decision and action is the most important in my solopreneurial career.

The smaller the time between the decision and the action, the faster you grow in life and business.

So I asked myself this question: “How can I become more action-oriented and reduce the gap between a decision and action?”

There are 3 things I discovered that helped me.

Why Is It Important?

Before we dive in, l want you to see why you should take this seriously.

Inaction gives birth to procrastination. In fact, procrastination is a synonym for inaction.

You think of doing something or needing to do something but don’t act on it until later.

Procrastination/inaction can lead to:

• Failed deadlines

• Missed opportunities

• Unsaved souls

• Ruined families

• Failed businesses

• Wrecked justice

I would argue that the first sin of the world was carried on because of the inaction of Adam.

Inaction is the root of all evil.

Well, you can see where inaction can lead so it is important to think about how to be more action-oriented when necessary.

Of course, in some cases, inaction is appropriate and desired, but I am talking about lazy and irresponsible inaction.

Especially, if you want to keep playing the game of business, I learned that being action-biased is the number one trait to have.

Especially, as starting entrepreneurs, we need to act quickly to pay off our ignorance debt.

Experience will beat theoretical knowledge at any time of the day.

By acting you move, learn, and build faster.

Let’s dive into 3 things that helped me to be more action-biased.

Clarity Over Motivation

We always make a mistake, thinking we need motivation to kick in before acting.

False. It is a myth that should be demolished in your head because it does a great disservice to you.

Action —> Motivation, not the other way around.

When you do something that works, you feel like you want and can do more.

When you watch videos to motivate yourself to start doing, it is fleeting and very short-lasting. You keep procrastinating.

Am I wrong?

Then you are probably asking: “Then why is it so hard to start acting?”

I’ve discovered that it is because of a lack of clarity.

I am convinced that the number one reason we cannot start acting is because we lack a plan.

Vagueness leads to paralysis.

I have been telling myself for ages that I want to start a business but I wasn’t acting.

Why? Because I was so vague - I want to start a business.

What does it even mean?

So after I sat down and outlined what I had to do, it became much easier to act

Action step: If you feel “unmotivated” but you want to do something (which is already a sign of motivation ; ), paraphrase your desire or idea into a question: “How can I [desire or outcome] in [time frame] so that [your why or benefit or outcome or any other conditions]?” Example: “How can I start a business in 4-5 weeks so that I can provide for my family and monetize my existing skills?”

5 Seconds Rule or How to Practice Action Daily

You will be amazed if you implement this rule and stick to it.

This practice came to me very randomly.

It was a mixture of different ideas I read about and an actual 5-second rule that was introduced by Mel Robbins.

That knowledge that was deep in the spider-web-covered corners of my brain attic somehow came together.

I don’t know but I started implementing it out of the blue.

But it works!

Then I thought about it deeply and understood why it is so effective.

Did you know:

Our desire to act is born in our head a.k.a thoughts.

So power is the ability to bring a thought into existence. It is one of the definitions.

If you think of something or say something and it comes into existence immediately, you will be all-powerful by definition.

But we are people, not God.

(Side note: I think speaking and thinking are pretty much the same because when we think we speak in our head)

But God is all-powerful.

Read these:

And it goes on. The entire creation of the universe was done by God’s word.

How does this relate to the 5-second rule?

The idea of this rule is that whenever you get a thought about doing something good and productive, you count to 5 and start doing it immediately.

I like to think about it as I am gaining power (not the evil kind) by acting and bringing my thoughts into existence.

It also trains me to take action with small things to be action-biased with bigger projects and ideas.

Action Step: Whenever you think of doing something, count to 5 and start doing it. For example, “I think I should take the trash out…” bam, count to 5 and go do it; “I think I should make dinner…” bam, count to 5 and take ingredients out of the fridge.

Use What You Got

This one is short.

Emotions drive our actions (no matter how badly we don’t want that 😁 ).

Why not use them for good things?

Some of us are very ambitious and driven to improve our lives.

Some of us are full of anger about our life conditions.

Some of us are insecure.

First of all, lean to God for help and guidance.

Secondly, use these emotions to start acting.

Create good out of broken.

For example, I was tired of not acting and always talking about starting a business. I felt angry on one side, and scared of feeling like a failure or someone who says he is going to do it and not do it.

I used it to kick my butt every day to move forward.

At least, it worked and still works for me.

Action Step: Take a day to reflect on how you are feeling about not doing that thing that you want to do or think you should do. Reflect on how you are feeling about where you are right now. Use it to take action.

Go and crush it!

I hope this was helpful.

Talk to you later!

P.S. If this letter was educating or entertaining to read, could you please share my newsletter with others who you think would like my content? Just share this link: https://creator-chronicles-letter.beehiiv.com/subscribe

P.P.S. Bereket means abundance and blessing in my native language - Turkmen.