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This week, we're talking about taking action! I know a lot of people with good ideas; good ideas are a dime a dozen, but acting on those ideas is significantly more rare.

As a brief disclaimer: any links for items, books, etc. that are available for purchase are done through an affiliate program. This means that I get paid a small pittance of money for everything you buy using my links. I don't recommend things I haven't read/used, so using these links helps me out and gets you great products!

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Ready, Set, Go

One of the concepts I have been giving a lot of thought to lately is the notion that we should be action-oriented in everything we do. I'm sure many of you have stories about that friend or family member who always has big ideas. Maybe they swear that they invented the thing that just got funded on Shark Tank, or that the hottest company "stole their idea" and they can prove it.

Joking aside, we put far too much stock in ideas. Ideas mean nothing until they are executed. Ideas are like the shares in a new startup: initially worthless but with the potential to grow. This growth is reliant on words becoming actions, on the beginnings of motion. So how, exactly, do we become more action-oriented?

1. Shift your mindset surrounding failure

We discussed this a bit last week, but reframing "failure" is critical in order to take action more often. Understanding that failure is a starting point and not an ending point is a difficult shift to make, but one that ultimately pays dividends. Every successful person has failed along the way, the key is that they learned from those failures and adjusted their approach moving forward. Being a healthy amount of stubborn and knowing that you will get things wrong is a recipe for long-term success.

2. Take the smallest steps

Taking action doesn't mean going from start to finish in one motion; in fact, trying to do too much too soon is another main reason that people never follow through on their goals or ideas. If you want to get back in shape, the first step you can take is to pack a gym bag for the next day. Better yet, do 5 push-ups and 5 squats before you jump in the shower that night. If your baseline is zero, then anything above that baseline is forward progress. We tend to forget that small actions repeated over time can yield big results; everything in life benefits from compound interest!

3. Be consistent, be kind

Lastly, understand that consistency is key when it comes to all of these changes. If you regularly take small steps as soon as your ideas materialize, every one of those steps adds up over time. It is far better to never miss a day than to sporadically have huge bouts of productivity. If you're anything like me, you are impatient and want to align yourself with your goals as quickly as possible. Something I also need to remind myself often is to be kind to myself, to understand that some days will be better than others. Rome wasn't built in a day, but it was built every day!

Try to shift away from simply thinking, talking, and journaling. These things are important, but they are meaningless unless they are accompanied by action. Understand that you will likely "fail" many times on this journey, but also know that if you consistently try to take small steps forward then you will reach the mountaintop eventually. Here's to taking action!

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Hit List

The most interesting things I've read, heard, or encountered this week:

A book in line with my thoughts above: Zero to One by Peter Thiel

I am almost embarrassed to admit how long it took me to finally visit and read this book, but I'm so happy I finally did. Thiel is best known for being one of the founders of PayPal, then going on to found Palantir. He is infamous in Silicon Valley as being a biblical source of knowledge for startup founders. This book documents how to go from an idea to a business, but it discusses so much more than that. Even if you have no interest in startups or entrepreneurship, it's worth a read just for Thiel's social commentary on why the world is the way it is and why certain types of businesses are currently thriving.

Why are COVID Rapid Tests so expensive in the US?: Article on ProPublica​

I originally saw this article in the Morning Brew newsletter, and was interested in gaining a bit more knowledge about the factors limiting the "return to normal" so to speak. I was recently having a discussion with a friend about how wider availability of inexpensive rapid tests was the true key to containing the pandemic here in the States, and this article explains the current hurdles to achieving this status. Worth a read for anyone wanting to increase their knowledge about the current situation.

How much do you need to invest?: Here's how much money 35-year-olds should invest each month to become a millionaire by CNBC

If you don't know much about investing, or you're looking to audit your current strategy, this article is a good overview of some hard numbers. If you start investing at 35, putting away $590 per month can earn you $1 million by the time you retire. Financial freedom, especially in retirement, is completely attainable with basic investment strategies. Take advantage of this system!

Intersection of investing and fitness: Peloton shares drop 35% on updated guidance by CNBC

It’s interesting being someone in the fitness industry and watching the shift in trends throughout the pandemic. It has also been interesting to see what happens now that things are slowly returning to normal. My prediction has always been that a hybrid model will likely be the norm moving forward; people are looking for the community and support of an in-person gym with the ability to do things on their own outside those walls as well. Gyms that can provide top-tier wellness programs that help their clients outside of the gym will experience the most success inside their businesses.

A course I'm launching: Optimize your home audio/video setup for virtual meetings!​

At the request of some clients, I have put together a course to teach you how to optimize your home video setups now that working from home is so common. Using my experience in film production, I wanted to create a simple guide that tells you exactly what to buy and how to plug everything in. Even with no additional equipment, there are small tricks that can make you look and sound better on your Zoom calls and virtual meetings. If you want to get on the waiting list for when it officially launches, click here!

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That will do it for this week! Please let me know what you liked, didn't like, and what you want to see more of. Do you want it to be longer, shorter? Do you want specific topics covered more? Less? Have a wonderful week, and remember to please forward this to your friends -- helping get the word out and get more eyes on this newsletter is hugely helpful and greatly appreciated!

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