Picture this:
You’re stuck in a job funk, craving change.
You weigh the pros and cons and decide it’s time to move on.
You dive into the endless world of job hunting and make a list of potential gigs.
Update your resume,
and even snag a new outfit for that future interview.
But here’s the twist – you never hit “apply.”
That’s Passive action, the art of busy work without the actual trigger-pulling (massive action).
Trading movement for Progress.
This is the paradox of Passive vs Massive action. In this article, we’ll explore how the choices you make in these crucial moments shape your forward movement in life.
Understanding Passive Action
Passive action refers to the tendency to engage in activities that give you a false sense of progress without truly propelling you toward your goals. It often involves repetitive behaviors that may feel productive but don’t contribute substantially to your desired goals. It can be easy to find yourself stuck in a cycle of Passive action, feeling like you are on the precipice of your goals, yet they continue to remain somewhat elusive.
Passive actions keep you in your comfort zone where your self-imposed limiting beliefs can fester (read more about that here). They provide a false sense of progress without the sweat, effort, and dedication required for true forward movement. It’s the illusion of movement without actual momentum.
On a neuroscientific level, we can fall into the bad habit of passive action because our brains tend to seek comfort and familiarity, making it easy to fall into the trap of routine activities that don’t challenge the status quo. This stagnation hinders our neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to rewire itself and adapt to new, transformative patterns. Essentially, the more we live in passive action, the less we can grow.
Here are some examples of Passive Action
Excessive Planning Without Execution
Planning is crucial, but excessive planning without implementation can lead to the dreaded analysis paralysis. You can get stuck in the vortex of planning, thinking about all the hundreds of possible outcomes and ways of doing things.
Consuming Content Without Application
Educating yourself is important. Reading books, watching videos, attending seminars, etc are all highly valuable, but their true power lies in applying the insights to your life. Learning makes the ego feel good, it keeps you in a comfortable position. Sometimes, it can feel like you are hiding from the world, not ready to put yourself out there, which can open you up to criticism.
Over-Reliance on Visualization
As a Hypnotherapist, I’m a strong believer in visualization. Visualization is a potent tool, but it can hinder progress when it becomes a substitute for concrete action. There needs to be a balance between spending time visualizing and taking more tangible and actionable steps forward. Hope is not a strategy.
Understanding Massive Action
On the flip side, the concept of Massive Action involves taking bold, purposeful steps forward toward your goals. You actively challenge your comfort zone and consistently push beyond self-imposed limitations. It’s about taking deliberate steps towards your goals. Many motivational speakers talk about this, but the godfather of coaching, Tony Robbins, talks about it the best here.
Massive Action is about putting in the work, learning from failures, and consistently taking steps that align with your vision. When you embrace massive actions, you take control of your life, turning your aspirations into reality.
On a neurological level, taking massive action helps increase your neuroplasticity. Engaging in unfamiliar activities that demand focus, effort, and commitment stimulates the brain to create new neural connections, fostering personal growth and resilience. It also decreases your chances of cognitive decline.
Here are some examples of Massive Action
Setting and Pursuing Challenging Goals
Establish ambitious yet achievable goals that stretch your capabilities. Utilize existing resources like SMART goals to provide a framework for how to achieve what you want from life.
Consistent Practice and Implementation
Apply your knowledge and skills consistently, turning theory into tangible progress. You will have wins and you will have setbacks. But you will never know what they are if you don’t implement your knowledge.
Embracing Discomfort and Taking Risks
Growth often occurs outside your comfort zone, if not always. Embrace discomfort and take calculated risks to accelerate your progress. It is usually at the edge of our un-comfortability that we see what we are made of.
How to Embrace Massive Action
Cultivate Self-Awareness
Regularly reflect on your actions. Are they truly moving you closer to your goals, or are they just providing the illusion of progress? Practice critical thinking, putting your ego aside, and having an honest self-assessment.
Create a Strategic Plan
Develop a well-thought-out plan that includes both short-term milestones and long-term objectives. Break it down into actionable steps. Refer to the above SMART goals link if you want a detailed approach to creating a strategic action plan. Treat your goals like you would treat a business venture. Taking action will stop you from falling into analysis paralysis.
Accountability and Support
Seek accountability partners or enlist a coach to provide support, encouragement, and constructive feedback on your journey. This is why coaching has become so popular in recent years. We all need help with accountability at times. If you are the rare few who can stick to their word, then great. Otherwise, consider a goals-based coaching approach as a potential avenue to help jump-start your momentum.
The 10X Principle
Grant Cardone, an entrepreneur and motivational speaker, wrote a book on the 10X Principle – which is taking actions ten times greater than what you initially thought was necessary. While the book focuses more on business, the principles can easily be applied to personal goals. Grant’s approach focuses on your efforts not being just incremental but monumental, creating a seismic shift in your results. If you don’t set high enough goals for yourself, you’ll never know where your true potential lies.
Conclusion
In essence, Passive Action is everything that helps you get ready for Massive Action. So there is a place for it. However, if you don’t match it with massive action, progress doesn’t happen. Only taking passive action can feel like mental masturbation. You are sort of doing something but not really. Embrace massive action as the catalyst for growth. It is this combination of focused effort, resilience, and a willingness to step into the unknown that propels you toward the life you desire. Remember, change can happen in an instant when you take the appropriate action.