The four steps to completing an idea are thought, initiative, action, and momentum. Without those four steps, our idea, goal, dream is just an imaginary thought that will accomplish nothing outside of our own head. Other times we get the thought, initiate action, but then get stuck. We find it harder to get or keep momentum. There are five reasons our momentum can be halted.
- Fear. We can be scared by many things when we start on the road of action. Fear of success, failure, embarrassment or of what might be next.
- Procrastination. We keep putting off the next step with all kinds of excuses. Many times those excuses are based on one of the fears.
- Waiting for it to be perfect. Waiting for the perfect time to start. Waiting for the finished product to be just so. Not quite ready to put it out for others to see.
- Someone else has done it or will do it or do it better. We think to ourselves that someone else will do the job or that they would do it better. We may even ask ourself why we think we have the right to be the one to complete this idea.
- You do not want to do the work. Our thoughts or ideas are hard work, and we just do not want to do all that work, when things are comfortable for us at this time.
When we have an idea it is time to check in to see if it is a S.M.A.R.T. idea, one that we believe in enough that we are willing to put in the work to accomplish. The dreams we have are just things that we are thinking about. When we use our initiative and take an action step we have created a goal in our mind that we want to reach. When we are willing to persevere we are using momentum to reach our goal.
Reaching a goal or fulfilling an idea takes hard work, over a period of time, with great focus. In the end, taking these four steps can change our life.