Action is the process of doing something in order to achieve a purpose.  In order to achieve a goal or different results in our lives, we must do different and be willing to take action. Without consistent and persistent action, the goal will not be achieved. It is for this reason that action is at the heart of coaching. Action is extremely powerful and is the catalyst used in coaching to create changes. Our success essentially comes down to acting on our knowledge and plans and taking the steps necessary to move forward. By taking action, we create the movement that is necessary to make things happen. Delay works in opposition to action.  If we look at action as an accelerating force that moves or pulls us forward, we can also look at delay as an accelerating force that pulls us back and keeps us stuck.  The better we can manage the decelerating force of delay, the more acceleration and momentum we will experience in moving forward.

A small thought can create a huge shift which in turn can change our whole life. This is action. Reading, thinking, meditating, reflecting, writing, talking, coaching, walking, mentoring- all of these forward movements steps create movement and movement is action.

Prioritization, sense of urgency and willing to commitment create either action or delay.  We need to take times to prioritize the importance in your life.  If we are not willing to contribute your time, resource or energy and step out from the comfort zone, you will just feel guilt when give hundreds reason of not doing it.  We tend to delay our action because of the sense of not knowing the future and low intention of risk-taking.  What do I need to shift? What can I make a change?  When should I start to take action?  These are the familiar questions that we ask ourselves and heard from others time after time.

What do you want vs what do you need?  Vision, goal of business and action plan are your desire, which mean it falls into the matrix of High important and Low urgency.  We DELAY because we are not “commit” to it.  Ask yourself below questions: (1) What’s the important rating of your goal? (2) Will it increase your self-worth or the sense of self-achievement? (3) Anything holding you back? (4) What’s your support system? (5) Do you have the sense of urgency to achieve your goal?

If you have a high rating in questions (1) and (2), you will have the high chance to take right action in the right timing.  The rest of questions will help you to clarify the situation and find your motivation of action or delay.

However we often confuse action with the achievement of a goal or the outcome of a goal. We have that end result as a guide, a vision, a dream, a goal, not an action step. Action is the process, the goal is the outcome. By entering the process, you are in action. The process is the path to growth, learning, self esteem and confidence.

Delay is being afraid, worrying, getting stressed, feeling tense, uncertain. Action is certainty. It can be our own limiting beliefs or judgments that hold us back from being in action. If we are not committed to taking action then we just don’t.

Underlying Beliefs or Behavioral Patterns are a certain pattern of behavior that may be hindering us from taking action. We must be able to recognize delay. Delay often manifests as procrastination – putting things off until critical mass is reached.

We all know that action leads to results. But just knowing this isn’t enough. Knowing it and doing it are two very different things. If we want to make changes in our lives, we will have to examine, address and face the underlying fear.  If we can create a shift and develop the Empowering Perspective by pointing out a different point of view, creating a compelling vision, we will have more chance to embrace and celebrate change, because it means that they are making progress!

Techniques for Creating Action: Here are some techniques to help shift from Delay to Action:

(1) Goal Setting and Specificity - Sometimes all that is missing is an inspiring goal or a pathway forward. We need to paint an exciting future and they may be “pulled” our action forward.

(2) Strategic Questioning can be the empowering processes to create movement and foster creativity. They are open-ended and can promote new thinking and lead to strategies for action that guide us through a logical sequence for turning concerns into action.

(3) Using Tools – a tool doesn’t address our beliefs or struggles. A tool creates a confidence system for moving forward and gives us the strength to take the next step.