Just Do "The Thing"

Why Action Beats Overthinking Every Time

Many of us have found ourselves in this position. We have this ‘thing’ that we want to accomplish, whether that be finally completing a home project, having that tough conversation, or pitching that idea you’ve been refining.

Oftentimes, we also come up against the proverbial wall of “well yeah, I know that, but… there’s just so much XYZ in the way.” There’s a cognitive understanding of the facts, but then there’s the unknown.

Fear, perfectionism, you name it, the lack of certainty prohibits us from taking the next step toward what we believe to be the best thing for us and, in some cases, others.

So, it really isn’t as much about figuring out exactly what to do that seems to be the issue. Rather, having to commit and start doing ‘the thing’ causes some angst.

When Planning Becomes Avoidance

There are days I wake up thinking, “Ah, that’s a great idea.” I start typing or writing about it, building the perfect spreadsheet and modeling out what future projections might look like. I close my laptop or drop my pen, sit back, and feel accomplished… for a brief moment.

The studying, the planning, waiting for the perfect “a ha” moment is addictive. But if we’re actually honest, sometimes it’s the fear and avoidance patterns just dressed up as being strategic or thoughtful. In fact, there is some scientific evidence to back this up. Psychologists have found that avoidance tends to reduce anxiety in the short term but increases it over time.

Other common ways this shows up: re-reading emails before sending, rehearsing conversations in your head, researching the perfect fitness studio. It could be literally hundreds of things.

But as you’ve probably noticed, action teaches more than trying to think your way out of a thinking problem

Why Doing Beats Waiting

Okay, so that’s great, awesome, wonderful… except I know I need to take action, but it’s scary. What about all the things that could go wrong?

Yeah, that’s just your brain doing its best to keep you safe—you’re not unique (I know… oof). What action gives you isn’t always the outcome you want, but the feedback and momentum needed to get you where you need to be.

Doing ‘the thing’ and taking action, even imperfect action (for all you perfectionists out there), will benefit you more than inaction.

Daniel Arsham, a New York-based artist who works across fine art, architecture, performance, and film, was recently interviewed on Jimmy Fallon and shared an apt quote from a mentor about this exact phenomenon.

He said, “The longer you wait to take that chance in your life, the shorter the future is going to be when you arrive there.” (see the full clip below)

So, if you ever had a dream of starting a business you’ve ideated and planned for, pursuing a relationship you knew was worth it, or going all in on that Iron Man competition, let that be a reminder to you.

Regret

For all those who are still not convinced that actually pursuing something they deem worthwhile is better than staying put, let me introduce you to some research by Shai Davidai and Thomas Gilovich, conducted while at Cornell.

In their study, Davidai and Gilovich found that people’s most enduring regrets weren’t about what they did, but what they didn’t do. You read that right.

The regrets people carried were clear and simple: not taking the risk, not pursuing the opportunity, not becoming who they felt they could have been. Many of these reflect a gap between the “ideal self” (who we want to become) and the “ought self” (who we feel we should be) as Davidai and Gilovich defined it. The actions we don’t take aren’t just missed opportunities; they’re missed chances to move closer to our ideal selves.

I want to validate some feelings out there, though. In the short term, we do tend to regret our actions. We replay what we said, what we chose, what went wrong. But over time, those regrets will fade. What lingers are the moments we held back. The chances we didn’t take. The parts of ourselves we never stepped into.

What’s That ‘Thing’ For You?

I’ve spoken about reflection before and knowing something cognitively but not actually changing. I challenge you to observe your avoidance patterns. What’s the “ideal self” you’ve ignored for the “ought self”? Or, what’s the “ideal self” you finally stepped into?

If you’re asking for permission to start that, may this article be the nudge you need. Pick one small thing that starts you down the path, moving you closer to what you truly want for your life.

I’ll leave you with this thought from one of my favorite leaders out there:

“One of the reasons people don’t start small is that they can see a better starting place than where they are. If I could just be there, they think, then starting would be easier. But the only place anyone can start is where he or she is.” - John C. Maxwell from Intentional Living.