The Nudge

Last week I wrote about the two different ways to express your opinion. One is to be a critic. The other is to care enough to change the world.

I hope that the post helped you to make a decision to do something, but after reading it again, I realized I left something out.

A gentle nudge.

There is no map that gives you step by step directions on how to take your opinion, your dream, your goals and then accomplish something great.

But there is a critical component to every great movement. There is a key moment for every great work of art.

The first step.

photo by Robert Linder (stock.xchng)

Here are 7 ways to help yourself stop criticizing and start doing.

• Investigate. Do some research to find out more about your passion. There is a good chance that others agree with you. It is easier than ever before to find those people and connect. Learn. Dream. And then do it.
• Begin. The first step is the hardest of all. It is tempting to spend all your time investigating and preparing, but nothing gets done. Make a decision to begin, ready or not. Don’t wait until you feel ready. That day never comes.
• Learn. How do you learn the best way to make a difference? You try, and then when you fail, you learn. Mistakes aren’t really mistakes if we learn something useful. The only true mistake comes from not learning.
• Push. Every project has a hard period. There will be doubts. There will be negative turns. Just remember that anything worth doing, anything worth the time and energy, will be hard. Learn to push through these hard times.
• Quit. Some projects will never take off. Be able to see when the direction you take is a dead end and then quit it. If you spend time on a project that is doomed to fail, then you are only losing time you could be spending on a better one. How do you know when to push and when to quit? You have to decide this for yourself, but its important to keep both in mind.
• Tell Someone. Too many projects die with people who came up with an idea, but were unwilling to share. Tell people. If people expect something out of you, it helps motivate to get it done.
• Be Courageous. Don’t hold back. Give us everything you have. Don’t do a safe project designed to please. Do something incredible that is a true expression of who you are. Push boundaries. Decide what seems impossible, and then go and do it

How are you trying to change the world? Tell us about your work, art, church, or organization and leave us a link in the comments.