We’ve Been Taught Backwards
How many times have you talked yourself out of doing something because you ‘just didn’t feel like it’?
How many times have you put your awesomely ambitious goals on the back burner because you were waiting for things to feel more ideal?
How many times have you put your true dreams on hold for the sake of waiting for:
The perfect timing…
The right feeling of motivation and readiness…
The flawless alignment of steps and opportunities…
Ever since we were little, we were taught that the right feeling should precede the action.
You take the classes, attend the lectures, study the material and THEN you feel it’s time to take the test. You go to soccer practice, attend the workouts, review the game-plan and THEN you feel ready to show up for the big game.
This approach of waiting for the right feeling is effective when you have a predictable syllabus or a nice schedule to follow, but when it comes to real life, this formula can severely hold you back.
In regards to growing into your greatest self and taking the risks necessary to flourish at the most exciting and fulfilling levels, you have to challenge this notion that the feeling must come before the action.
In fact, if you are serious about building your best life, you need to embrace the concept that the action will need to happen regardless of what you may be feeling.
The Action IS The Catalyst
Alright, I got another question for you.
Have you ever not felt like doing something, but then you went ahead and did it anyway, and then afterward you felt amazing?
It happens all the time with things we don’t necessarily look forward to.
Getting up early to complete the workout that we promised we’d do…
Having that tough conversation with our friend or co-worker that’s been needed for four weeks now…
Finally washing that monstrous pile of laundry that keeps mocking you every time you walk by the basket…
Have you ever taken action in spite of how you were feeling and came out the other end feeling ten times better than you did going in?
This formula works almost every single time because of how intrinsically connected the brain and body are. Studies show that moving the body, regardless of how your mind is feeling, greatly increases neural connectivity, meaning as you take action you start to activate the more powerfully positive parts of your brain.
It’s Beyond Science
Knowing now that movement and activity positively affect the brain, it’s pretty clear why sometimes you simply have to take action regardless of how you are feeling because it’s only a matter of time before the laws of science will come into play to keep you moving forward.
But I think something deeper and much more profound is happening when you take positive action in the face of negative feelings and emotions.
You see, as wonderful as our brains are, they are wired with some seriously outdated survival mechanisms left over from our days as cavemen and women.
Thinking they are keeping us safe from harm, these overprotective brain patterns actively dissuade us from doing anything new, risky or uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, if you want to grow and flourish into the greatest version of yourself, odds are you are going to have to break some old patterns and get out of your comfort zone to do so.
So it’s totally normal and expected that you are met with some mental resistance when it comes to taking action with the intention of creating a newer, fuller life for yourself. That’s why you don’t always feel like doing the things you know will propel you forward.
But that’s also why it feels so good after you take action in spite of fear, doubt, and negativity.
It is a win for you and your journey.
Your soul is sending you serious high-fives to congratulate you on declining your brains invitation to settle for less!
If this has ever happened to you, then you know exactly what I mean.
Flip The Script
So if science and your soul both agree that taking positive action regardless of how you may feel results in more growth and well-being, don’t you owe it to yourself to pay a little less attention to the feeling and more attention to your incredible goals?
As often as you can, challenge the need for things to look good on paper before leaping fearlessly in the direction of your dreams.
The timing may not be perfect.
The path may not look clear.
The confident readiness may be nowhere to be found.
But if you know the direction you need to head in, and you have a first step to take (no matter how big or small), then you owe it to yourself to boldly move toward your goals and dreams.
And yes, expect your overprotective brain to send you invitations to settle for less along the day. That doesn’t mean you’re weak or overmatched. It simply means you’re human.
Exercise your power to take action.
And know on the other side of action, all of the positivity, growth, and fulfillment are waiting to give you celebratory hugs of happiness.