Doing Nothing Will Get You Closer to Your Goals Than Taking Action You “Should” Take
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It may sound counter-intuitive, but here’s why doing nothing will get you closer to your goals than taking action you think you “should” take:
What Causes Results?
- Our results are determined by our choices and actions, BUT…
- Our choices and actions (along with our perception) are determined by how we feel in the moment and the implicit childhood memories the brain is referring to.
In every moment, the unconscious part of the brain is referring to implicit memories from childhood that “prove” our self-image and worldview, and triggering chemical reactions. Those chemicals create feelings and sensations. The conscious mind automatically interprets those feelings and sensations, and assigns meaning to them based on current experiences.
Those connections between neurons (thoughts) trigger more of the same matching chemicals… creating more of the same feelings… and perpetuating that same pattern.
Forcing yourself to take action you feel you “should” take — is pumping more stress chemicals into your system, and taking your prefrontal cortex (the cognitive-thinking part of your brain) offline. That makes it even harder to get results.
Doing nothing instead — until you’re feeling good — ensures you have access that cognitive-thinking part of your brain before you go ahead and take action. As the level of stress chemicals lowers, and “feel-good” chemicals are produced, blood returns to your prefrontal cortex — allowing you to think more clearly and access your problem-solving skills, creativity, communication skills, judgement, risk assessment, comprehension, and all other higher levels of thinking.
That means the action you do end up taking — from the state of feeling good — will be far more effective and productive.
Five Actions to Take When You Don’t Feel Like Taking Action:
1. Give yourself permission to not take any action — until you feel inspired and excited to take it.
2. Take a moment to change your brain chemistry by allowing yourself to fully focus on something or someone you…
