ACTION vs. motion.

When creating momentum on a project it is important to understand that mood follows action. Many times we try to change our mood first. Waiting to be in the mood to write, work out, connect with others, or have difficult conversations. If we wait for when it only feels like a good time we will be waiting a while. Everyone has been there, where we don’t want to train but after we train we feel 100 times better.

Mood follows action can be used to our advantage by driving our mood in the direction we want. By taking action and making the conscious choice to invest in ourselves.

An important part of mood follows action is the defining ACTION. What does action truly mean to you? Action is getting you closer to your desired outcomes. Personally, there are times (a lot of times) when I trick myself with motion over action. James Clear explained this difference as motion is the planning and preparation, while action delivers on getting you closer to the result. James uses examples of planning what his logo should be, what his business cards should look like, and consolidating 300 names as ideas for his company to describe motion. All important but at some point, the motion isn’t producing desired outcomes. Action is writing, having a good product, and customers making purchases.

We can all relate to where we have had more motion in our lives compared to action. Reflecting back to understand when has the planning helped or when has the motion actually been the roadblock of fake progress? In my experience, it has been reading, researching to learn more, and hitting people up about starting things to mentally prepare. My personal list could be extensive the more and more I think and write this out. Even with it all coming from a good place of wanting to do a really good job.

All a paradox of motion vs. action.

• Reading how to set up a blog or newsletter? → Writing a weekly newsletter.

• Talking with people about how to start a podcast? → Start recording.

• Researching gyms & what gi to get? → Start Training Jiu-Jitsu.

• How to write threads? → Write & Tweet Threads.

• Reading about real estate and first-time home buyer? → Get Pre Approved and an Agent.

• Talking about what could be better in relationships -> Being Better.

Reading articles, hitting people up on how to do podcasts, rewatching the Tim Ferriss podcast on how he built his podcast and what he would advise in the process. These are all ways that I learn the how. It is all motion. Important but it became the primary driver of procrastination. I must pause and adapt. Adapting is leaning into action and learning by doing. Not solely relying on planning to learn. 

Record episodes Ferate, that is all you need to do man. You are two episodes in. Now all you need to do is publish, learn in public, and Keep Going.

Action is where the magic happens.

Where are you finding action in your life? Where are you finding yourself dedicating most of your time into motion? Very interested in how people recognize where they are and where they want to go.