“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” —Dale Carnegie

It all boils down to simple advice, “take action and get started.”

All too often, many of us are guilty of inaction which is a vicious cycle of fear, uncertainty, and doubt.

How many times have we thought:

“I can’t lose all those 40-pounds in one-day.  I will start on <Pick a Day/Date>.”

“I need to finish my <name your course>. Until then I can’t apply for new jobs in that area.”

“It’s annual planning time. My boss is busy. Let me wait until after the planning cycle to talk about my promotion.”

“I got to start meditating and develop mindfulness. Perhaps next month.”

If you have had these types of self-talks, then you fit the bill for inaction and get a trophy for procrastination.  Nothing is stopping you but your inaction.

Shed these bad habits and get with the program by doing something that you have been putting off for a while.

Take Action!

Dale Carnegie has it right.  Taking some action and getting busy is the way to overcome our fears and get out of the starting gate. So:

Polish that resume.

Write that article.

Go to that networking event.

Do yoga.

Take a new course.

Hike up a hill.

Clean up your desk.

Enroll in a course.

Start reading the first page of the book.

Sit down to meditate (even if it doesn’t work the first few times.)

Taking action is the biggest thing you can do to boost your courage and self-confidence.  Once you start, you will soon shatter your misconceptions, chart a new course, figure out the ins and outs, and ultimately blaze a new trail.

Do anything to do something worthwhile. Take action! NOW.  That’s the essential first step toward success.