Top 5 Reasons People Don’t Take Action

“Good ideas are common – what’s uncommon are people who’ll work hard enough to bring them about.” – Ashleigh Brilliant

Ideas, by their nature, are powerful and magnificent. Ideas have transformed companies, industries, countries and even the course of history. Every modern comfort we enjoy today had its origin in the form of a simple idea. If ideas had a Facebook page, everyone would give it a “like” for the comfort, health, entertainment and happiness they have provided.

With the powerful impact they have on the world, you would think good ideas would be a rare thing. The truth is there is almost an endless supply of great ideas.  However, most good ideas die an early death inside the mind of their creator because of one word: ACTION.

Lack of action is the single greatest cause of an idea fizzling out.

Reasons for Lack of Action

Here are five of the most common reasons why action is not taken:

1. Fear: Fear can manifest itself in many forms. Often, it represents a fear of failure. For many, not trying is better than trying and failing. Sometimes, it’s a fear of loss. This occurs when a person realizes what they might have to risk in order to implement their idea. For example, one might have to quit a job in order to execute their idea with no guarantee of success.
2. Laziness: Laziness is a strong word, so let’s soften that by describing it as “an unwillingness to put in the work necessary to develop and implement an idea.” It is likely that numerous people had the same or a similar idea before someone came along that was willing to actually put in the work to bring that idea to life.
3. “I’m an Idea Guy”: While some people are undoubtedly more prone to develop well thought-out ideas, it is likely that most who use this line are overestimating the uniqueness of their idea-generating skills and underestimating the importance of the action required after an idea is conceived. After all, ideas without action have the same impact as no ideas at all.
4. Lack of Faith: Some people have a lack of faith in the idea itself. Perhaps they dismiss their own idea with “Oh, that would never work;” or perhaps they share the idea with someone else who calls it terrible or who simply doesn’t see the vision behind the idea. Others lack faith in their ability to execute the idea properly. Maybe the idea is unrelated to their current skill set, and they simply cannot envision how they could pull it off. Perhaps they simply do not have faith that they are capable of having an awesome idea.
5. Hoarding an Idea: Many ideas are generated by individuals who do not have the financial means to implement them. What comes into play at this point is some individuals think their idea is so good they do not want to share it with anyone. Perhaps the idea really is that good; but if no other means are available, it is better to share your idea than to let it die. If you believe in the idea, you should be willing to develop your presentation skills and start contacting potential investors.

At the end of your days, you don’t want to look back and wonder what might have been if you had taken real action on your idea. Remember, good ideas are actually pretty common. What is uncommon is keeping your ideas alive by putting in the work and sacrifice necessary to see those ideas come to fruition.

By Mark Justice, Rich Dad Mentor