If you have a long-term goal, are you taking action towards your goal or just moving? There is a difference between motion and progress. Let’s think about work for a moment. Just because you show up to work doesn’t mean you get anything done. Too often throughout the day, people go through the motions of doing stuff. Doing things that keep them busy, however busy doesn’t always result in progress.
With goals it is similar. Things can be getting done, yet it may not be the right stuff. Only by doing the things that lead you towards your goal will you progress forward.
“Don’t confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but doesn’t make any progress”
Alfred Montapert.
When you are in motion, you may be busy doing something but the task alone will not produce an outcome. Progress only comes with action. Action produces results.
‘I was not confident talking on camera, so in 2018 I spoke five days a week live on Facebook ‘Lifestleyantyime’. When I listed out ideas to talk about I was putting things into motion, however when I talked I took action and progress towards my goal. The goal of Facebook becoming comfortable of talking on camera via Facebook lives.’
There are many times that it may look like you are moving towards your goals. Though, are you? you may be in the cycle of motion not in the climb of progress.
When I go for my daily walks by the lake or on the beach I am moving. These daily lake or beach walks are refreshing and reenergizing great for my health. Yet, with a fitness goal only when I am power walking for at least 40 minutes am I taking strides towards the specific goal of fitness.
3 Tips to help you with taking action towards your goals.
Make the Most of Time.
Everyone is allocated the same 24 hours in a day to spend. It is how the time is spent that determines progress. One way to help spend time wisely is to create a schedule that assists you with moving forward toward your defined target.
A schedule is a guideline, part of the blueprint that guides the movement from A to B and assists you to make the most of your time.
My example schedule is based around working full time while building a business. There are many times that the schedule changes. Change takes place because I put family first and spend time randomly throughout the day with the family.
What I have found best is to plan the key actions for your main goals in your day. This is so that you progress forward towards your goals daily.
When you block time effectively, you get to focus on your objective without distraction which can increase productivity.
Define your goals.
If you have something you want to do try writing it down, by writing it down you can turn the impossible into possible. A goal that is not defined is a wishlist. Look at your goal and plan it out, break it down into bite-size pieces and focus on progressing forward one task at a time towards your defined goal.
As you focus on your goal a path will become clear. It is with doing that the steps become clearer.
It may be a long time ago, and you may not remember how you learnt to ride a bike but the 5 actions in learning to ride a bike are the same 5 tactics in learning by doing. When you learn more you are in motion, you commit to the process of learning. The key is to progress. Therefore, follow the rule to learn, do, teach or share. As by implementing what you learn you progress and by sharing what you have learnt you provide value to others and assist them to progress forward too.
How to define if your actions lead to progress?
To understand motion and progress, ask yourself;
- Am I just busy? Am I doing tasks that do not lead to progress?
- Which tasks are helping me to progress towards my goals? Awareness is power!
- How do I spend my time? Track your results to discover how you spend your time. Track your results to see if your busyness results in motion or progress. Only by tracking can you learn to understand your results.
- To track your busyness, track how you spend your day. Evaluate the results so you can make the most of time and schedule activities that assist you with taking action towards your goals.
Why not try the 90-day tracker to monitor the actions you take towards your goals.
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