Doing vs. Thinking

Leonardi da Vinci's quote sums it up for me: "I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do." As a Life Coach, I meet many people who get stuck in their heads, thinking and planning until they are so paralyzed by confusion, fear, and exhaustion they never take the first action step toward a goal. Do you have great ideas but can't seem to follow through?

One reason for this might have to do with your "thinking" style. Dr. Edward de Bono, a well known author of many books on the benefits of lateral thinking, writes about the importance of utilizing many different thinking styles for everyday life and complex life problems. In his book, Six Thinking Hats: The Power of Focused Thinking, he talks about the importance of challenging traditional thinking styles of individuals, organizations, and the world if the goal is innovation and success.
Lateral thinking, sometimes referred to as creative thinking, moves us into a different realm by helping us to step outside of the box and look at a variety of variables and alternatives when dealing with situations, solving problems, and making life decisions. It can broaden perspectives and help develop innovative ideas and solutions. This approach also helps to expand our insights both consciously and unconsciously. Here is a brief description of each strategy:

1) White Hat Thinking: Looks at facts and information
2) Red Hat Thinking: Pays attention to intuition, feelings and emotions
3) Black Hat Thinking: Plays devil’s advocate
4) Green Hat Thinking: Utilizes creativity and alternatives
5) Yellow Hat Thinking: Looks at the logical positive aspect of things
6) Blue Hat Thinking: Assesses all the thinking that has been done about the subject.

Another common reason people get stuck in their heads has to do with perspectives on and underlying beliefs about the concept of action. Being in action isn't always about climbing mountains, running a marathan, or speed dating. A simple movement can be reading and gathering information on an idea, meditating to relax and gain perspective, writing about feelings, goals or plan, talking and collaborating with others, attending groups, etc. Acknowledging ourselves for the steps we have taken, even small movements, helps promote momentum and energy for more.

Once we start to "do", goals often become clearer and steps more effective. So, if you feel stuck with a personal or professional goal, remember that flexible thinking combined with action steps are important elements for successful outcomes. So try on a different hat this week and see what happens!