Do the Work
Okay - this one is for all of you chronic learners. If you’re taking the time to read a blog every week, chances are you love to learn. You crave learning new things, and you probably have more book knowledge than you know what to do with.
BUT… what are you doing with all that knowledge? Are you taking action and implementing what you’re learning? I’m not saying that your desire for learning is not useful. Over time, it will slowly seep into your brain waves, and cause positive changes in your behaviors in different ways. But wouldn’t you like to experience real, significant improvement and growth in your life?
As you might have picked up by now, here at M2 we are all about having a personal growth plan, and that certainly includes reading, listening to podcasts, and soaking up all the information you can. But there’s more to growing than just absorbing information. You have to act. You have to implement the things you are learning or the growth that you want to see will be slow indeed. And for exponential growth - you know, the kind of growth where you start to really see results - you have to commit to take action. And not just one time, you have to consistently focus on taking action. Sounds like work, right?
“The magic you’re looking for is in the work you’re avoiding.” - Dipen Parmar
The Truth
That’s because it is work. We desperately want there to be a quick path to success. We want there to be easy, simple solutions in the areas where we need to grow. But it just doesn’t work that way. Stop waiting for a magical moment. DO THE WORK! (By the way, if you’re confused about what the work actually is or how to get started, you might benefit from some one-on-one coaching. Reach out to us; we’d love to help with that.)
Here’s the process we use here at M2 to get to the heart of what we need to be working on. Ask yourself the following questions:
What do I really want?
What are the obstacles that prevent me from getting what I really want?
What are my options to overcome those obstacles?
What is the first immediate action I can take to overcome those obstacles?
It’s that simple, but it requires WORK. First, you have to stop letting life happen to you and take control of your thoughts. Your brain is going to prompt you to respond in familiar ways even if they are detrimental to you. So, your first reaction to every thought and feeling that you have should be to pause. Studies have shown that just a three-second pause before you act will allow you to be in control instead of reacting in the old, familiar, unproductive ways. This process will cause you to grow and find success.
The Good News
Once you start challenging yourself and doing the work, it won’t really seem like work after a while. If you’re learning so you can grow, you will no longer be satisfied with just learning. You will be determined to see changes in your behaviors that support tangible, measurable growth.
Application
Now - all of this is just another fun read (hopefully) unless we put some legs to it. So here are a couple of ways I’ve implemented the things I’m learning. Maybe this will inspire some ideas for you.
SITUATION: As I shared in my blog last month, after reading a self help book, I recognized that I had a tendency to make passive aggressive remarks in one of my relationships to avoid saying aloud how I was really feeling. I could see the hurt on my loved one’s face when I did this.
ACTION: Every time I made a passive aggressive remark, I tagged it and immediately apologized and shared what I was really feeling.
RESULT: Over the course of a few weeks, I no longer felt the need to make passive aggressive remarks. I just shared my true feelings in a healthy way.
SITUATION: During a period where I was feeling drained and low, I listened to a podcast by Mel Robbins. She recommended that if you aren’t happy, evaluate what you were doing when you felt happy and start doing those things again. I came to realize that I had stopped doing some of the things that used to give me joy and purpose.
ACTION: I evaluated what I was doing when I felt happy and fulfilled. I began a daily commitment of reading, writing and reflecting with less time on my phone. I also began to reach out in a personal way to those who matter most to me by sending memes, funny texts, and sharing how much I love them.
RESULT: Depression diminished, relationships improved, and I became more focused and on track with my overall life goals.
As my mentor, Chris Robinson of Maxwell Leadership says all the time: “Learn a little bit. Do a little bit.” Don’t just be content to learn. Take action to implement what you learn.
