At Grow, our #1 fundamental belief is to have a ‘bias towards action’. We preach it to the companies we work with, and we practice what we preach. Don’t wait for it to be “perfect.” Nothing is ever perfect. Get out there. Just do it. Make it happen, captain. Action > inaction.
Don’t misunderstand; we’re not saying to skip your due diligence. Reducing risk before a huge investment is important. You probably wouldn’t buy a house without an inspection, or a car without test driving it first. But even doing your due diligence is action; thinking about doing it is not.
When it comes to that great business idea you’ve been kicking around… IT’S TIME TO ACT!
The TOP 7 BENEFITS OF TAKING ACTION
1. You’ll accelerate your learning
When you act, you find out what works and what doesn’t. Book learning can’t replace doing. With action, ideas go from theoretical to real. You find out what’s actually possible, not just what you think is possible. Reality can be very different from how you imagine it. Different, and often better!
2. Your action causes reactions
The energy you put into your business idea will cause a reaction. The reaction might accelerate the idea, or it might point you in a new direction. Action doesn’t happen in a vacuum—everything you do will result in something, no matter how minor, that can energize you and move your project forward. Just doing some groundwork, like making some industry contacts, will open up new opportunities that you can’t see now.
3. Doing it makes you better
Just the act of doing something improves your chances of success. Dreaming of opening a bakery? “Hire yourself” and try it for a month: wake up at 4AM and bake in your kitchen every day for a couple hours before work. You’ll develop shortcuts that improve your process and that save you time. Your product will get better, too; imagine how good you’ll be by day 30!
4. But do you like it?
Taking action on your idea, and not just endlessly thinking about it, will give you a chance to see if it’s a good fit for you to pursue. From the previous example, if you tire of all that baking after only a week or two, it’s better to learn it now than after you sign a lease on a storefront. If it turns out to be a bad fit, you got it out of your system, clearing space for other ideas.
5. Your movement builds a movement
Your action will inspire others around you. Act with enthusiasm, move towards your idea, and you’ll sweep others along with you. People will come out of the woodwork to help, even if only to make introductions or offer advice. They might know of new opportunities that they wouldn’t have thought to share with you otherwise. Without movement, you miss out on these connections.
6. Your action creates evidence
Every step towards your goal builds a little more proof in the idea. This proof increases confidence, reduces risk, and makes it easier for others to want to help you. The evidence you collect builds a firm foundation for the next step.
7. Action is insurance against regret
You won’t spend the rest of your life, “wondering if…” about your idea. Even if it doesn’t work out, you can feel great about giving it a shot. Not every idea is a winner—ideas are cheap, a dime a dozen. People who act are a lot more valuable. Don’t look back with disappointment; your future self thanks you.