3 Expert Tips to End Delaying Acting on Your 2024 Goals

When it comes to yearly goals, does it matter when you start acting on them?

What could possibly happen (or not) in your life if you delay acting? Let’s look at a few key areas which are going to have a really BIG impact on your life. When it comes to chasing after your dreams and goals, hesitation can be a significant roadblock.

Sometimes you can hold onto the idea of things getting better. You might be wondering if there's something special you NEED, or you’re waiting to be ASKED or have permission before you start? Or thinking you need to wait for the right resources, connections or it to be a specific date that is meaningful to you, or that maybe they should do it a particular way. Yep, making choices can feel overwhelming! 

If you're going back and forth on whether to make a decision, consider this: waiting might have a more significant impact on your life than you realise.  

Since you deeply want the change you’re seeking, there are three key concepts to get to know really well, so you adopt them as habits in future.

First, think about the importance of timing. While familiar situations and relationships or jobs can create a sense of safety, holding onto situations that no longer serve you may hold you back and in turn, prevent any growth. 

“When you stop growing

you start dying.”

- Writer and artist, William S. Burroughs

Ouch! It sounds a bit harsh but think about times when you’ve stayed in a situation or relationship because facing the task of changing it all seemed a harder choice than staying? It never ends well does it?

When you're stuck like that, in place you don't want to be in, you begin to feel bored, stale, lose perspective and even become resentful of the situation or people involved. Instead of staying stuck without action, we need to LET GO of what we're holding onto.

Second, some of us want to hand it all over and hold on for divine timing or things to work themselves out. Waiting is a choice. It’s important to give up waiting and start exactly where you are by recognising the importance of taking imperfect action. Waiting for the stars to align might lead to missed opportunities when instead, you can be gaining new skills or confidence by beginning before it's perfect.  

Start before you feel ready! 

Lastly, it's important to ask yourself how to recognise the right time.  What would happen if you started now? You see, people tend towards fearing what they can lose in any situation or action, over what they could potentially gain. Also known as Loss Aversion, think about how that has held you back in say, speaking up in your career, business or even asking someone out? Understanding the role of fearing loss or change can shed a lot of light on what is holding you back right now. Focus on what can be gained in the long run if put aside delay and start with what you have now?

To delve deeper, ask yourself, what have I gained from delaying? It could be avoiding small risks, failure or something else? Unpack your hidden beliefs about how delaying taking action has a significant impact on your life and start exploring today by downloading the newly updated Limiting Beliefs Checklist Workbook here

Remember, one decision can reshape your entire trajectory. Make 2024 your year of ‘action’! 

PS - If you enjoyed reading this topic, this was also one of Leigh's most YouTube talks and you can watch here https://youtu.be/oM55OhKpkn4