Act First, Feel Later

Many people have a backward idea of what transformation looks like. Most of us will agree that transformation is a gradual process that takes time and is not always linear. However, we don’t always see eye-to-eye about the role feelings play in the process.

For example, imagine somebody wants to get in better physical shape, but they are struggling to make progress because they don’t feel like going to the gym or eating the right foods. This person may think that they are motivated, and they may be convinced that they will eventually make progress once the right actions feel natural. 

Here’s the problem - nothing feels natural at first. Imagine an infant learning everything for the first time. If you’ve ever seen a months-old baby trying to crawl, you know that it’s not always pretty. They may drag their legs behind them as they move forward with their arms, or they may travel a few steps before falling on the floor and having to pick themselves back up. Walking can be even more difficult; in fact, babies will inevitably fall hundreds of times as they are learning. 

This isn’t just true for people who are a certain age or lack a certain amount of life experience - it’s true for all of us. It’s a reminder that if we are going to pick up a new skill or adjust our daily routine, we must be willing to embrace the initial awkwardness that always comes with change.

In our upcoming Proven Results workbook, we spend an entire session discussing the idea of turning our hearts toward God’s values and principles. We stress that this will require some sort of sacrifice on our part, as discarding our own agenda in favor of God’s plan for our lives will appear like an interruption at first. It’s also important to remember that it may not feel natural at first, just like adopting a new habit will feel strange and unusual the first time we do it. 

The secret to success is not to wait until something “feels” right, but to remind ourselves that our actions reinforce our feelings, and we can train ourselves to perceive ourselves and the world around us a certain way by reinforcing our desired beliefs through our regular actions. 

To put these ideas into action, we encourage you to do two things over the next several days. First, imagine the person who you want to be in the future. Try not to think just in terms of results, but also actions, beliefs, and values. Once you get a clear picture of the target you’re aiming for, imagine what types of steps you will need to take each day to achieve this goal. 

Defining the process is going to help your vision or goal feel more actionable, but you’re also going to experience some short-term resistance that comes along with any type of change. Remember that you must be willing to act before it feels natural, and that by taking the actions required to reach the goal, you’re going to become the type of person who will achieve this outcome over time. 

If you’re not currently meeting with a mentor but would like more information, use this link to schedule a free discovery call. We also encourage you to check our website again soon for more information about our workbook release.