"Just do it" isn’t just some worn out cliche.
So how many of you just want to smack me for using the worn out phrase “just do it”? A few of you I bet. I know I’d want to. After all, you probably have enough to worry about right now than have some pesky minion like me bugging you about what you should or should not be doing. I understand.
Right now, I find myself at the intersection of my goals and my limitations. I have bills to pay, a dirty house to clean, studying for the PHR to start, and I’m wanting to learn both Mandarin and Japanese, to name just a few things on my to do list. Not to mention spending time with the Husband, the pets, and myself. It’s so much easier to just slack off, make a few New Year’s resolutions that I won’t have to think about for another month, and focus on planning what I should do.
I’m not saying planning is bad, I love planning and organizing, but after a certain point it just becomes a means to procrastinate. Suck it up and take action. I have things I need to do, NOW, if I want to attain the goals I have set for myself. I’m big on goals, I love them as much as I love planning. But goals mean nothing if you never do anything to achieve them.
Want a new job but afraid of the weak economy? That doesn’t mean you can’t start looking and building your professional network. Want to make improvements to your department but worried about instability? Start making the changes you can now and demonstrate innovation. Thinking about going back to school but unsure of what you could do or the time commitment? Set up informational interviews with the program advisers to get a more realistic picture. Just do… something.
I have found that action is the best cure for indecision and worry. Once I’m on a path, even if it turns out to be wrong, I’m still in a much better position than I was when I was not doing anything. And don’t think this is some self-righteous grandstanding on my part either. This post is directed at my lazy minion behind as much as it is to you. Sometimes you have to make a public declaration in order to hold yourself accountable. So I will now consider myself on notice, how about you?
BTW: I’m giving people till Wed. Dec. 3rd to submit suggestions for my 2009 work goals and then I will be making a decision. Be sure to check out the comments here and submit a suggestion. My love and a $15 Starbucks Gift Card await the winner.
December 1st, 2008 saat: 4:47 pm
“Just do it” isn’t worn out, it works. Instead of sitting around going through all the reasons why not to start something, just get started on it and see how you progress. What’s the worst that can happen? At the very least you’ll learn something from it. Good luck!
December 1st, 2008 saat: 6:25 pm
I haven’t had a goal since 2005 when my Senior Director left her job and I had five bosses. When I lost my job in 2007, I vowed to stop creating goals. Hey, that’s a goal!
December 1st, 2008 saat: 7:11 pm
I would create a song in Animanics format. Don’t foeget to answer with a question.
December 1st, 2008 saat: 9:08 pm
action is helpful for me as well. Getting out of my head and getting moving in any direction is key. The book good-to-great talks about this as the “flywheel effect”, it’s the starting that is the hardest. Excellent that you are making your readers your accountability partners, this is a great strategy. You’re getting it right Minion.
– Meg
December 1st, 2008 saat: 11:51 pm
great post, i have had goals and nailed them, had goals and not nailed them and not had any goals whatsoever… my preference is to create goals and “try” to hit them “but” not get my balls torn up if i don’t hit said goals. truth is – i enjoy the journey with some type of goal map thingy. good luck. jwt
December 2nd, 2008 saat: 8:11 am
Marie – I’m glad you weren’t interested in smacking me then, I don’t like pain. 🙂
Laurie – I can’t help myself when it comes to goals, I’m too much of an internal locus of control kind of person.
Tracy Tran – I loved the Animaniacs!
Talentedapps – I’ve been meaning to read Good to great. Maybe I’ll steal, I mean borrow, it from my boss. Thanks!
J. William Tincup – I’m more of a journey person myself too. I care less about the end result than I do about the process. Maybe that’s why it was hard for me to just finish my Master’s program.
December 2nd, 2008 saat: 10:31 am
too funny… i completed two masters – mostly because my wife made me… ha. so i had goals and a kickass wife…
December 2nd, 2008 saat: 10:51 pm
The Animaniacs are how oldest offspring learned all of the state capitals and amazed all of his teachers! Shoot, did I spell Capital right? Is it Capitol? Grrrr
December 3rd, 2008 saat: 6:44 am
“If you can see it you can be it ”
Hee Hee.
Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
December 3rd, 2008 saat: 8:52 am
J. William Tincup – Your wife deserves an extra nice present then. 🙂
HR Underling – I’ve learned a lot from cartoons, probably more than I should admit to.
December 3rd, 2008 saat: 1:45 pm
Nice thought and well presented, but let’s not confuse activity with accomplishment. Intangible activity doesn’t pay tangible bills.
December 3rd, 2008 saat: 1:55 pm
Anon – accomplishments matter in the end that’s for sure, but sometimes I get so bogged down by the goal that I don’t do anything. Thanks for the comment!