When I think about execution, the first thing that comes to mind is movement.
Since we cancelled cable a few years ago, I watch television sparingly. My husband will call me sometimes and ask why the house is so quiet and why I don’t have the tv on. I always respond “Because, I’m doing something.” I’m always moving. Even when I am sitting still, I am moving.
I am one of those girls that sits on her phone all day long. Well, not all day (because I lose it most of the times) but, when I can find it… I am on my phone all day long. Now, before you start judging, let me explain. When I am on my phone… I am usually doing something. I sign up for e-courses, monthly memberships, and anything that is going to teach me something that is foreign to me. It may be an ebook, or an email blast from my favorite bloggers… Sometimes, I am completing daily tasks for a weekly or monthly challenge that I signed up for. During my planning periods, I am listening to audiobooks, catching up on the latest episode of a podcast, or searching through TED for interesting videos.
You would think that with all this moving around, I would be a very successful woman, right? Wrong. Even before I was an English major, I thought of myself as the main character of my life. And it sounds strange but a lot of my actions in life are dictated by what I think my character would do next. When I started looking at myself as the lead character in the story of my life, I started to pay attention to how I was moving.
I have a stack of notebooks full of years of knowledge. I have taken webinars, attended workshops, gone to conferences, and studied a lot about living my life to the fullest. Somehow, I still felt like I was moving and going nowhere.
There is a complete difference between moving and progress. I was reminded of this in a video I watched with my class years ago. It depicted a rocking horse that was going back and forth. That’s motion, right? But, a rocking horse is a toy used to entertain small children. Small children don’t care about a rocking horse not actually going anywhere, they are intrigued by the movement.
On the other hand, as a dreamer and doer… a rocking horse wouldn’t be sufficient. To be a doer you would need to actually make progress towards something. Doers execute; they make things happen. Doers go places and get things done. Doers wouldn’t benefit from a stagnant rocking horse. Doers would need an actual horse to take them somewhere.
In preparation for my goals, I have been in constant movement for four years. However, I have only started making progress within the last year and a half. Think about your own life. Have you been constantly moving but making no progress?
Movement for me was the reading, the researching, the note-taking. My goal was to start a business. Making progress would be applying for an LLC, creating products, designing logos, and anything that would push my brand. Movement would be researching the market instead of joining the market, lingering on logo designs for three months (like I did), or admiring instead of networking with others in my desired field. I had to reevaluate myself. Now its time for you to reevaluate yourself. Are you moving or progressing? There is a difference.
progression, not perfection.
-CSR
As always, you bring the message together so clearly. Thanks for the transparency. Progression not Perfection = sticky note reminder!