I’ve been listening to the CD version of one of John Maxwell’s leadership books in the car lately. One point he makes is that many people fall victim to inaction because they wait for a “feeling” before doing anything. The problem is that the feelings needed to build a successful Internet-based business seldom come on their own. Instead, “doing” those things that other successful people have done will lead to the “feelings”. After all, success “feels” good, doesn’t it?
[EDIT: I want to give proper credit for that quote. Here's the line from John Maxwell's book:
As Harvard psychologist Jerome Bruner says, you’re more likely to act yourself into feeling than feel yourself into action. So act! Whatever it is you know you should do, do it.
(John C. Maxwell, Developing The Leader Within You, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1999, c1993.) -- Tom]
That quote stood out when I heard it. I’ve probably listened to this set of CDs at least 10 times, yet every time I listen, I learn something new. I’ve heard this quote at least 10 times before but I never noticed it — until now.
In this case, the comment hit home because I’ll often plop myself into my office chair without the slightest idea of what I want to do. Instead of doing the things I need to do, I end up doing the “easy, feel good” things — like checking email, forums, aimless surfing… you get the picture.
I’m going to remember this quote and put it on the marker board above my desk. Once I start doing the things I need to be doing — product creation, article marketing, etc. — I’ll start feeling good about those things, and when these things start feeling good, then those time-wasters — the things that don’t move my business forward — will fall by the wayside.
To be honest, some of them are already starting to bore me. My Inbox no longer holds the fascination it once did and the forums are so full of bad information that as much as I’d like to help, it’s hard to join in sometimes out of fear that my advice will either be ignored, debated from ignorance — or simply mistaken for the bad advice that lots of other people give. Not much fun — and it sure doesn’t feel very good.
Remember: you need a healthy business if you are going to help others. So please join me in taking action instead of waiting for a feeling or mood to do something that will propel your Internet business to new levels of success.
Thanks for listening,
Tom
P.S. — There is one forum where I do spend at least a few minutes daily. It belongs to a membership site (one time payment), and that payment tends to keep out the things that make forums so undesirable. Click here to learn more about this “serious” forum.
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