Monday Morning Motivation – Action
Sharing Resources to Help You Grow Personally, Professionally & Financially
Sometimes it helps to get a little dose of encouragement—along with a good cup of coffee!—to start the day. Today we discuss action.
Hopefully, the message below will help you get off to a good start for the week. Please feel free to forward the newsletter along to others who you think would benefit from the content.
Action
Five Frogs on a Log: The Difference Between Deciding and Doing
A number of years ago, I read a book called Five Frogs on a Log. The title came from a deceptively simple question:
Five frogs are sitting on a log. One decides to jump off. How many frogs are left on the log?
If you answered four, you're probably like most people.
But read the question again.
It says one frog decides to jump.
It doesn't say the frog actually jumped.
So the correct answer is:
Five.
All five frogs are still sitting on the log.
And that little riddle carries a surprisingly powerful lesson about life.
Thinking About It Isn't the Same as Doing It
How often do we say things like:
- “I'm thinking about starting a business.”
- “I want to start exercising.”
- “I should probably change jobs.”
- “I'd love to learn something new.”
- “I'm going to start investing.”
- “Someday, I'll take that trip.”
We make the decision in our heads.
We imagine the possibilities.
We consider the risks.
We create a plan.
And then… nothing happens.
The frog decided to jump.
But it never left the log.
And sometimes, that's exactly what happens to us.
The Comfort Zone Can Be a Very Comfortable Place
There's nothing wrong with thinking things through.
In fact, thoughtful decision-making is important.
I'm certainly not suggesting that we should make reckless decisions without considering the consequences.
But there is a difference between being thoughtful and being afraid to act.
At some point, you have to move from:
“What should I do?”
to:
“I'm going to do it.”
Because no amount of planning can create results if planning is all you ever do.
Nothing changes until something changes.
Doing Nothing Is Still a Decision
Here's the part I find most interesting:
Choosing not to act is still a choice.
You may choose not to start the business.
You may choose not to apply for the new job.
You may choose not to invest.
You may choose not to make the change you've been thinking about for months—or even years.
And sometimes, doing nothing is absolutely the right decision.
But sometimes, we're not choosing not to act because it's the best option.
We're choosing it because we're afraid.
Afraid of failure.
Afraid of making the wrong decision.
Afraid of what other people might think.
Afraid of losing what we already have.
And fear can make staying on the log feel safer than taking the leap.
What If It Doesn't Work?
Here's the uncomfortable truth:
It might not.
Not every decision will produce the outcome you hoped for.
You might make a mistake.
You might change your mind.
You might discover that the path you chose wasn't the right one.
But that's part of moving forward.
You can learn from an imperfect decision.
You can adjust your strategy.
You can try again.
What you can't do is create a different outcome by endlessly sitting on the log thinking about jumping.
Think. Decide. Act.
Before making an important decision, ask yourself:
Have I gathered enough information?
Have I considered the risks?
Have I weighed the alternatives?
Have I thought about what could go wrong—and what could go right?
If the answer is yes, then perhaps the next step isn't more thinking.
Perhaps it's action.
Because eventually, there comes a point where another hour of thinking isn't going to give you much more clarity.
You simply have to jump.
Don't Spend Your Life Sitting on the Log
Life doesn't come with guarantees.
There will always be uncertainty.
There will always be reasons to wait.
There will always be a possibility that something could go wrong.
But living your entire life trying to eliminate every possible risk means you may also eliminate many of your opportunities.
So think carefully.
Make informed decisions.
Learn from your mistakes.
And when the time comes…
Don't just decide to jump. Jump.
Because a decision without action is just an intention.
That brings us to this week’s question:
- Are you taking action that moves you towards your goals?
Thanks for sharing a bit of your time with me this Monday morning.
Have a great week!
Curt
About MMM: Each week I publish “Monday Morning Motivation” in the hopes that at least one person will find a bit of inspiration and that this inspiration will have a positive impact on their life. My motivation comes from experiences, reading, sermons, and discussions.
Photo credit: Jared Evans on unsplash.com
Blog post from this past week:
F5 Financial
F5 Financial is a fee-only wealth management firm with a holistic approach to financial planning, personal goals, and behavioral change. Through our F5 Process, we provide insight and tailored strategies that inspire and equip our clients to enjoy a life of significance and financial freedom.
F5 Financial provides fee-only financial planning services to Naperville, Plainfield, Bolingbrook, Aurora, Oswego, Geneva, St. Charles, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Lisle, Chicago and the surrounding communities; to McDonough, Henry County, Fayette County, Atlanta and the surrounding communities; to Venice, Sarasota, Fort Myers, Port Charlotte, Cape Coral, Osprey, North Port, and the surrounding communities; and nationally.
We'd love to have the opportunity to hear about your situation. Contact us here to schedule an appointment for a consultation.
Learn more about What We Do.
Helping You With
Wealth Preservation – Wealth Enhancement – Wealth Transfer – Wealth Protection – Charitable Giving
