What does it mean to drive action? At its very core, the ability to drive action simply refers to one’s ability to take action. We may find ourselves unable to make a decision due to a need to make the best decision, or we try to juggle so much that we accomplish so little. The ability to drive action is crucial in these moments, otherwise we might find ourselves never advancing on seemingly distant goals.
For many analytically-focused people, the ability to think fast and take faster action is as elusive as the proverbial Holy Grail. As Leo Babauta, founder of Zenhabits.net, notes, driving action takes commitment. It is not enough to intend to do something–but to communicate that intention. We must hold ourselves accountable to honoring our word. Perfection is impossible, thus must we acknowledge that sometimes accomplishment itself is the goal and not perfection.
Author Eric Ravenscraft likewise advises, “To get the most out of your life, you need to be willing to take risks.” Sometimes we stay at unrewarding jobs or unhappy relationships simply because of the time we’ve already invested. Andrew Bosworth of Facebook defined this as the “impact trap,” wherein we wrongly convince ourselves that we were somehow better able to make decisions at the start of these long-term commitments than we do now, later down the road.
In his TED Talk, Corporate Consultant Matt Brauning encourages the strategy of driving our actions with productive use of emotions, Noting various entrepreneurs and even comic book superheroes who have redirected negative experiences towards impassioned efforts and positive results, Brauning emphasizes the use of this inner fuel for discovering our drive for action.
Today, let’s consider how we can not only reach for but grasp this Holy Grail of action. All it takes is us channeling our passion, communication with our colleagues and loved ones, and, of course, commitment to results.
“Attitude drives actions. Actions drive results. Results drive lifestyles.”
— Jim Rohn
Author
by Faraz Gafoor
Faraz Gafoor is a content strategist, writer, and human-data aficionado. His passion for scientific analysis of everything—from the presentation of data to the way we communicate—is driven by a deep love of understanding how we process and make sense of our surroundings. His curiosity and a never-ending search for prolific and poetic perfection poignantly fit his Prism Personality of a double Scientist.
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