How Are You Taking Action in Business?
Taking action in business has been on my mind a lot lately, and it’s something many creatives and business owners talk about when it comes to growth, progress or success.
But action depends on many things.
Like our energy levels, boundaries, mindset, or how we feel about our own self worth on a particular day.
And being aware of our action-options has the power to guide us towards the next best step.
So let’s dive in to a few different types of taking action:
Type 1: Routine Action
I like to think of these as “preparation” actions.
The habits and routines that set us up for the bigger action. We might not even notice these actions as they can be as mundane as making coffee or tea in the morning, choosing a specific playlist before looking at the to-do list, or lighting a candle before meditating or making art.
When we’re used to these actions, they feel easy and go unnoticed. But when we change or add new actions and routines, things get difficult.
And it’s difficult because it doesn’t feel natural.
There’s resistance. Effort.
Studies say it takes at least a month to create or shake a habit. And that’s a long time for one, tiny action change.
But the difference between avoiding or writing your next piece of content, could very well start with whether or not you’ve done any preparation action—the steps to set up the mood, space, time, or energy you need to fuel the next set of actions.
Type 2: Imperfect Action
This is the action that can take awhile to get comfortable with, especially if you’re a recovering perfectionist like me.
It’s far easier to avoid this kind of action. And we do avoid it from time to time. It might look like: procrastination, imposter syndrome, fear of failure, writer’s block, or overwhelm.
It sounds easy when the mainstream advice is “just start.” But it’s not easy. Because there’s resistance again.
And there’s a ton of effort involved with both resistance and action. Imperfect action looks different to everyone.
But the key thing to remember, or to get comfortable with, is to allow yourself to start messy.
Even if it’s a jumbled start like: jotting down random ideas on a notepad, opening a blank document, typing a few incomplete sentences, writing on your phone instead with tons of typos, going back to the document again, deleting what you wrote previously, and building off of what you wrote in your phone.
Messy, right?
But that’s the beauty of imperfect action.
When you start the “doing” part after moving past the frozen, stuck, inaction part. So give yourself the grace and permission to create stuff that isn’t your best.
The goal might be to just get started, but you win when you’ve broken through that resistance barrier and you’re taking some kind of action again, however that looks like to you.
Type 3: Effortless Action
This is an interesting one as it stems from the Taoism concept of wu wei or action without intent and going with the flow.
It isn’t about being passive or lazy, but taking effortless doing by not forcing things to happen or going against the natural order of life.
It’s about moving and aligning ourselves with what’s happening in the moment and letting go of forced expectations, plans or strategy.
In a world where we’re driven to do more, it’s easy to forget about the art of non-action—the wait and see approach, or doing the thing that feels the most effortless first (like sending that email before starting client work).
There’s a great deal of power when we lean into the natural order of things. Because we end up conserving more of our time and energy.
There’s a time for both action and non-action.
And if we’re going against the laws of nature (like forcing wild flowers to bloom in the middle of winter by giving it more sun or fertilizer, forcing a round peg into a square hole, forcing yourself to create a masterpiece on your first try, etc.) then taking action can do more harm than good.
And when action leads to “overdoing” that’s obviously not good either. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to actively do nothing, stay open, and see what naturally happens.
Type 4: Inspired Action
I love this type of action the most.
Because it’s action that feels effortless, energizing and easy. It builds on the “go with the flow” idea, but it’s when you’re actually in the state of flow.
Where you loose track of time because you’re so immersed in what you’re doing. It’s a feeling of deep inner connectedness, presence, expression, and taking effortless yet highly productive action on a single focused task or activity. And in order to reach or unlock this flow state, we already need to be taking action.
We all have moments of flow in our lives and it doesn’t always have to revolve about doing something creative either.
It can show up when we’re walking, cleaning, or mindfully making cookies. It’s the “in the zone” experience we get from being completely absorbed in what we’re doing while being free from our egos and outside distractions.
So let’s all take the type of action that feels best to us while working towards more moments of inspired action. And remember, no action is too small or insignificant.
One last thought to take with you:
“Action expresses priorities.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Until next time,
Portia ❤️️
P.S. If you’re looking for forward momentum in your business, and if you want to take intentional, inspired, imperfect action, let’s chat! I’d love to get to know you and your story, meet you where you currently are, and explore how business coaching can help you rise and thrive. Book a casual chat with me here.
A quick note: This was originally shared with my Intentional Letters community in April 2021. I’m sharing it here on the blog too in case it inspires, encourages, and empowers you in your own creative journey. And if you’d like to receive more monthly intentional letters like these, sign up below! You’ll also get access to my “Reframe Your Mindset” workbook.