Thought comes before action. In other words, every desire to do something is preceded by a thought. Whatever the course of action you are embarking upon, it always starts with an idea, a perspective, point of view or even just an attitude. To cement this in your mind, and because it’s a daily ritual for successful people, here are 5 positive statements to help you take action in your day-to-day life.

 

1. “I can’t do everything today, but I can take a step in the right direction.”
You have projects. You have objectives. You have ideas. Yet despite this, nothing much seems to be happening… Every day, we’re prone to hesitate and give in to uncertainty, which holds us back and stops us from turning our ideas into actions. To avoid this, start by adopting a plan, defining a goal or choosing an idea. Then, instead of trying to get the whole thing done in one go, scale things down. Take one small step towards achieving the bigger picture (your task). You’ll soon see that breaking your day down into small tasks is much more efficient!

2. “I’m going to do those things no one else wants to do.”
Sometimes, the best way to set yourself apart is to do the things that others flat out refuse to do! The list of things we don’t want to do is long, so take your pick from those thankless tasks that everyone else is avoiding. The result? After a week, you’ll be unusual. After a month, you’ll be special. After a year, you’ll be incredible and you’ll stand out from everyone else.

3. “I’m going to face the fear.”
Our biggest fear is without a doubt the fear of the unknown. However, many of us have learned from experience that (absolutely) none of the things we dreaded most has actually happened. Overcoming your fears is hugely exciting! Try doing something that scares you – physically or mentally – every day and you’ll soon see that not only was your fear unfounded, but that anyone can overcome it and this will boost your confidence (“It was pretty daunting, but I did it!”).

4. “I’m going to show my appreciation for people who normally get overlooked.”
Some jobs require more effort than skill. While delivering parcels, cleaning windows or working behind a counter may be relatively easy, they still demand a huge amount of effort. Show your respect for those whose efforts are rarely recognised with a smile and a “thank you” and remember that by showing respect for others, you also respect yourself.

5. “I’m going to listen 10 times more than I speak.”
As someone who does a lot of talking, this could be quite a challenge for you! Just remember that you’re not always as insightful, intelligent and witty as you think you are… Confident people don’t feel the need to talk non-stop. Don’t ever say something just for the sake of it – when you talk to someone, do it because you like them as a person!