Principle of Life 5: Take Action
Action is what turns intention into impact and fear into energy.
We love to think, plan, and talk about what we’re going to do. But if we don’t actually move, it’s all just procrastination with a halo. The truth is, doing nothing isn’t neutral — it’s almost always the worst choice you can make.
I’ve seen this in business, in faith, and in family life. A decision delayed is usually a decision made… and rarely a good one. Momentum doesn’t come from perfect clarity — it comes from taking a step.
General Patton once said, “A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.” He was right. And Teddy Roosevelt drove the point home with his famous Man in the Arena speech. He said:
“It is not the critic who counts… The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again… but who actually strives to do the deeds.”
That’s why action matters. Not because we’ll always get it right, but because only those who act ever make a difference. The critic doesn’t count. The timid don’t count. The ones who tried, failed, learned, and tried again — they’re the ones who change the world.
God’s Call to Act
God doesn’t just call us to believe — He calls us to act.
Micah 6:8 lays it out clearly:
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”
Notice the first word: act.
Jesus didn’t say, “Agree with me.” He said, “Follow me.” Following requires movement. It requires courage. James 2:17 says it plainly: “Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.”
Faith comes alive when we act.
Life Is Not a Walk in the Park
Here’s the reality: life will never be a walk in the park. So don’t go on a walk. Go on an adventure.
Rest has its place. Sit on the bench, catch your breath, enjoy the beauty. But then get up and move forward.
Practical ways to live this out:
- Adopt the mindset: It’s okay to try and fail; it’s not okay to fail to try.
- Start before you’re ready. Perfect conditions will never come.
- Take small, steady steps. Consistency beats big intentions.
- Expect mistakes — they’re feedback, not failure.
- Choose courage over comfort. You already know what’s right more often than you admit.
- Focus outward. The best actions almost always bless someone beyond yourself.
When you take action, fear shrinks. Worry feeds on imagination, not reality. The moment you act, you take worry’s power away.
Action in Leadership and Organizations
This principle doesn’t just apply to individuals — it multiplies in organizations.
An organization, like a person, has a soul, a mind, and a body. It develops habits. It lives by patterns. And nothing kills momentum faster than inaction.
Great organizations make action a habit:
- They normalize trying and failing — because failing to try is unacceptable.
- They move small and learn fast, instead of waiting endlessly for perfect certainty.
- They reward deeds, not just words.
- They expect leaders to decide, not delay.
A bold individual inspires. But a bold organization transforms whole communities.
Reflection Questions
- Where in your life are you waiting when you already know the next step?
- What small action could you take today that would break your cycle of overthinking?
- How has inaction cost you more in the past than failure ever did?
- How would your faith look different if obedience meant acting immediately instead of waiting?
✅ One-liner takeaway: Action is the bridge between knowing the truth and living the truth.
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