It may seem like every person you know has a lot of big plans and projects they talk about acheiving.
But you often find yourself asking, “if these things are so important to them, why do they go year after year without ever getting any of them done?”
The success and quality of your life is directly related to your ability to get things done.
[bctt tweet=”The quality of your life is directly related to your ability to get things done.”]
There are many people who have great ability, but have trouble rising to their full potential.
People often get stuck and overwhelmed when thinking of the work and effort involved in a new project.
And, as a result, they never get started.
Then the problem compounds because now they become frustrated with themselves for delaying.
It’s a downward spiral that turns into procrastination and can easily become a regular self-defeating pattern in a person’s life.
Fortunately, there is an easy solution everyone can use.
The Typical Advice on Getting Things Done
Unfortunately, the advice we usually get on this is good, but it’s not good enough.
Here’s what the typical advice is on this subject:
• Do the most important things first.
• Get an early start.
• Plan in advance–don’t wait until the last minute.
This is great advice and worth reminding yourself of periodically.
With a little planning, you control what you do first and get the most important things done early in the day.
Take working out for example.
If you don’t workout early, it’s probably not going to happen.
On the other hand, if you plan to wake up 30 minutes early and work out first thing, you are more likely to get it done.
[bctt tweet=”When you get the most important things done first, you start your day feeling empowered.”]
When you get the most important things done first, you start your day feeling empowered.
You feel like things are going the way you want.
You feel in control.
The typical advice is good advice.
The Critically Important Key No One Talks About
There is another critically important key to getting things done that isn’t talked about enough.
It’s one of the biggest causes of procrastination, one of the biggest killers of time and the cause of so many missed opportunities.
This is the phenomenon that holds people back, makes them late and causes them to underperform and miss out on so many good opportunities in life.
This one principle carries over into so many things you wouldn’t even think about.
It applies every single time you start on another activity–even if it’s something as mundane as your morning routine (i.e. getting out of bed, brushing your teeth, making your bed, and throwing the dirty clothes in the hamper.)
It’s called inertia.
In school, our science or physics teachers talked about the principle of inertia, a body at rest tends to remain at rest.
And it goes over our heads that this is one of the biggest factors that can stand between us succeeding and failing in life.
Simply stated, anytime in life you want or need to do something big or small, you have to overcome inertia.
Remember the principle of inertia: a body at rest tends to stay at rest.
That’s why it’s always easier to delay or postpone doing what you actually need to do rather than jumping right in.
[bctt tweet=”Anytime you want to do something, you have to overcome inertia by taking the first step and getting started.”]
It is a real phenomenon.
Until you decide to deal with it daily, it will always hold you back.
How to Overcome Inertia in Everyday Life
My advice: when you have something you want or need to do, don’t waste a second.
Move forward. Even if it’s only one step. You can’t make the next step until you get the first one done.
Here are some practical examples:
• If you want to start saving and investing for your future…
start immediately. Even if the amount is small, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you got started.
• If you need to clean our your attic or garage…
walk in there right now, find something to throw out, and throw it out. It may not be much, but at least you got started.
• If you have trouble getting out of bed in the morning when the alarm goes off…
at least kick the cover off your leg and stick your foot on the floor. It will get easier from there.
• If you’re one of the millions who hate to brush your teeth everyday…
focus on just getting the toothpaste on the brush. It will get easier after that.
• If you want to be a writer…
get out your computer or pad and write something down. An idea, a thought, a phrase. Write something. Remember the saying that a journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step? Stephen King’s formula for writing a novel a year is to every day get up, make coffee, and then write 400 words before he does anything else. 400 times 356 days a year equals 142,400 words, which he then refines down to his novel.
• If you want to be a photographer…
next time you head out the door, strap on your camera because it’s hard to take a picture with your camera at home.
• If you want to take a vacation…
pick the spot, get a photo, and stick it on your refrigerator and start thinking about when and how.
After Overcoming Inertia
Once you get started, the next steps become clearer and easier.
Before long you will be crossing things off your list.
Your mind will start to feel less cluttered, you will be in control of your day, and you will feel empowered to do even bigger and better things.
Life can be confusing at times, but it isn’t rocket science.
So much of the success in life comes down to doing the simple things well on a consistent basis.
[bctt tweet=”So much of the success in life comes down to doing the simple things well on a consistent basis.”]
A whole lot of people have figured out how to live successful, happy, productive lives.
There is no reason that can’t be you! But it won’t happen unless you start taking control of your life.
