First, let me apologize to all of my fellow lovers of the venerable German Shepherd Dog or GSD, as they are commonly called by those who love them. This post is not about getting your dog to a better state of productivity. In my primary profession, I see people languish daily under a cloud of action-paralysis. Our jobs are difficult and because there is no perfect manual to ensure success you find some folks caught in a continual loop of inactivity or one not capable of yielding solid results. Those who are the most successful are folks who are prone to action. I consider myself among this group of actors and I have come to label this sense of perpetual action the Get “Stuff” Done (GSD) Theory of Productivity.
Its a simple concept. Action yields momentum and momentum results in accomplishment. If you have ever found yourself knowing exactly what end state you need a project or goal to exist, but without a clear path to accomplishing the task, you are in need of the GSD Theory. Here is my one word of advice, ACT! Personal action is the genesis of all real success. How many times have you sat and watched someone in the next cubicle achieve some level of success or read a flattering story about someone from limited means achieving great things? What is the only real tangible difference between you and those to your right or left who have achieved notable success? These stories have absolutely one thing in common, action; even in the face of insurmountable odds. The decision to act is paramount and your action, however limited will yield benefit and lead to other open avenues. Forward progress is the goal and until we figure out how to bend space and time the shortest distance between two points is a straight line (the bending space reference is for all of my fellow sci-fi geeks). Traveling between those points requires you to move (act) towards something instead of waiting for it to travel to you. For those of you who need steps:
1. Act
2. Repeat Step 1
One of the lasting mantras I will take into my next professional incarnation is the belief that action beats reaction every time. So, as a manager or leader within your teams, groups or divisions, always impress upon your people the need to get up (and out) and make things happen.
#GoalSetting #Leadership #Coaching #Motivation #selfimprovement