The 5000+ Percent Advantage 4.0: Proceed Forward

How would you like to have a 5000+ percent advantage over everyone else?

Steven Covey in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People tells you how: “The difference between people who exercise initiative and those who don’t is literally the difference between night and day. I’m not talking about a 25 to 50 percent difference in effectiveness; I’m talking about a 5000-plus percent difference, particularly if they are smart, aware, and sensitive to others.”

Over the next six weeks you will see how and why the “people who exercise initiative” have the 5000+ percent advantage. I will use an acrostic of the word ACTION, because it is action that separates the thinkers and dreamers from the risk-takers and doers. Here is a summary of the next six weeks:

A: Accepts Responsibility. When you dream and think and plan you risk nothing and accomplish little. You can also get quite comfortable just talking about what you are going to do next week, next month, as soon as it rains, or whenever the time seems right, without ever taking action. When you proceed forward, however, you accept responsibility for your own life; you take your first real step into your future, your own success, your own destiny.

C: Calms Your Fears. When you finally stop planning and start doing you will discover skills and talents you never knew you had, and you will find out that the problems and enemies you anticipated are not as daunting as you thought. Fear creates cowardice; action builds confidence.

T: Tests Your Theories. Before taking action, the ideas you have and the plans you make are only untested theories. When you take that first step forward, your dreams and plans are tested against reality. You will discover quickly which ones succeed and which ones fail.

I: Improves Your Skills. Whether you want to fly an airplane, cook a Thanksgiving dinner, perform heart surgery, or learn something as simple as tying your shoes, there will be a learning curve. The more you practice the better you’ll get.

O: Opens Doors. Once you proceed forward toward your goals you will discover there are three kinds of people: those who stand in your way, those who sit and wave at you as you go by, and those who jump up and help you move forward. It is the third category of people who will open doors for you that you otherwise would not even know existed.

N: Nourishes Your Soul. Laziness and work are both exhausting: laziness exhausts the soul, work exhausts the body. The exhaustion that comes from laziness is disheartening and destructive. The exhaustion that comes from work is restorative and constructive.

Who can get the 5000+ Advantage? You can – just as soon as you take action on your dreams and goals. Steven Covey says you have even a better chance if you are “smart, aware and sensitive to others.” Is that you? Then join me over the next six weeks and together we will Proceed Forward. So, get up from your couch of comfort and step out and step forward.