Good Ideas But No Follow Through

So many of us have so many good ideas for ways we can change our lives. That’s certainly the case for me! I’d love to incorporate AI into my business better, revamp some systems I have, get serious about training for a marathon, take a trip to Peru or South Korea in this small window before I start a family. But that’s where it all ends.

And that’s perfectly fine! You’re not meant to take action on every good idea you have. If you did then you’d feel the consequences of an unbalanced life where you’re neglecting other responsibilities and impacted in unexpected ways. We have a finite capacity and we need to make sure that what we actually commit to doing is worthwhile with our limited resources.

When the idea is good, valuable, and you’re ready to take action on it… Then it escalates to an intention. Setting an intention is the equivalent of making a commitment to do something. What was once a possibility now becomes a probability where there’s a certain likelihood for if you end up doing it or not.

Helping people turn intentions into action is my personal mission statement because it’s the source of so much wasted potential. Every time, someone who has the intention to do something doesn’t do it, their confidence erode. It’s a slippery slope that leads to more shortcomings because they’ve taught themselves that they don’t take their commitments very seriously. Taking action is already hard enough, but if your own mindset is getting in your own way and makes things even harder, you’re going to be set up for disappointment. 

To make good on your good intentions, here’s what needs to happen: First you need to make a plan. Preparation before action is responsible for so much of its success. Following through is easier when you have clarity beforehand. It’s one ways that your environment does some of the work for you. Then when it’s time to take action, make sure you’re in the right state of mind. You’re in a good mood, have energy, and feel motivated to take action. You’re way less likely to make excuses that way. Do those two things and you know what you need to do and you have the capacity to do it.

Keep having good ideas! They’re the life-blood of your personal evolution. But don’t expect them to materialize into anything unless you commit to the idea, set an intention, and create the right conditions for following through on it. You are more capable of changing your life than you realize, you just need to start meaning it that much more.

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