People are always talking about how they are thinking about doing something. The more you think about something the harder it gets. The only way to get out of this rut is to do something. When you start doing things it becomes easier and you realize that the effort it takes to do something is less than thinking about it. I’ve laid out a simple set of concepts that will help you go from thinking to doing.

Hit the Ground Running

Getting started is the hardest part. This is the point where you have to create an idea, decide it’s worth doing and then do it.  The process of getting started can be broken down into two parts. Those two parts are “Think of an Idea” and “Take Action”.

• Think of an Idea

Thinking of your idea is the easiest part. You can start this part many different ways and it’s most about what makes you feel creative. When you have a good idea make sure you write it down so you don’t forget it.

• Take Action

Taking action can be difficult. Depending on what your idea is it can be difficult to take the first step. This is where planning comes in. During the take action stage you will want to break down your idea into parts that you can do. Don’t overthink this. Pick 5 things that you will need to do or learn to reach your goal. List them in order from most to least importance and start checking them off.

Expand Your Understanding

The next step in the process of doing instead of thinking is personal development. In this stage you are “evolving” and “learning”. There is no correct order for this because you are just trying to take the knowledge you are gaining from doing and then adapting it to make it better.

• Evolving

This part of the process is when your idea grows and changes as you learn more about what you are doing. Your initial idea may be great but as you get more involved you will see that some things won’t work as well as you would like and you will need to change what you’re doing.

• Learning

This is probably the most important part of doing something rather than thinking about it. When you are thinking about something you will constantly be looking at the same information and the amount you learn will be small. When you start doing you take in more information because of the new experiences. At this point take in as much information as possible. Learn from mentors, mistakes, videos, books or whatever you find that makes learning easy.

Don’t Give Up

Giving up is the biggest mistake you can make when you are trying to do something rather than think about it. When you give up on something before you are done you essentially turn all of the time and effort you put in into a waste. You don’t want to waste time because time is your most precious asset. If you are at the point where you want to give up look at your options and see if you can take your newfound knowledge in a different direction. Whatever you do don’t give up.

Achieve Success

This is the last stage in doing instead of thinking. Your hard work pays off when you become successful but don’t forget that success is what you want it to be. When you have finally achieved your goals you will be able to look back at all of the things you went through. You will be able to appreciate what you have done for yourself. You will now have a new skill set that you can apply to your next idea. Every time you have an idea stop thinking and start doing.

Live with Purpose

Living with purpose is something that everyone should strive to do. Most of us will spend our lives question the meaning of life. The reality is that the life we create for ourselves is the meaning of our lives. Living with purpose gives everyone an opportunity to make an impact. If you find a calling that is bigger than yourself, you have found the perfect life purpose. You have found a way to leave behind a legacy that no one can take away from you. Life is too short to let it pass you by. As far as we know we only get one go around. That means that if you want to make a difference you only have one chance. Don’t live a passive life. Everyone should be able to find a way to make an impact. It doesn’t matter how small that impact is. Just taking the time out of your day to smile at 1 person could make all the difference in their life. Imagine what you can do once you have figured out your purpose in life!

4 Ways to Make a Difference

These 4 ways to make a difference are far from an all inclusive list. You may come up with a better way. What matters is that these 4 ways are a jumping point to creating a purposeful life. What makes these 4 ways fun is that you can use them in any way you want. They can be reverse for all I care. Just make sure you are putting in the effort to find your purpose, it is the most fulfilling thing you can do!

1) Find Something You Are Passionate About

The things you are passionate about are the easiest things to do. If you have a passion you can turn that energy into a positive influence for someone that needs help. That means if you like investing teach someone how to invest but if you are into working out try to find a partner to workout with. It doesn’t matter what your passion is as long as you use to help find your purpose.

2) Surround Yourself With Like Minded People

The people you spend the most time with are the people that influence you the most. If you want to find your purpose in life you need to spend time with like minded people. Your goal may be to help people, if it is then don’t spend time with people that are antisocial. If you help animals stay away from animal abusers. The people around you can make all the difference make sure they are on the same path as you.

3) Find and Create New Opportunities

When you are living with purpose opportunities will come to you. Jump on them if you can. The more involved you are the bigger difference you can make. If the opportunities aren’t coming figure out how to create them. The more opportunities you have the better your chances are of making a difference. Involvement and opportunities are the key, no one made a difference by mindlessly watching TV.

4) Don’t Live Passively

As I have mentioned before don’t live passively. It is impossible to live a purposeful life if you aren’t living life to the fullest. This is where surrounding yourself with good people, creating opportunities and finding a passion really matter. It’s impossible to live passively if you are already working towards making a difference. You have one chance to make a difference. Go out and share the things you love with people you want to be around. Give yourself a chance to live with purpose.

Take Action

Living with purpose is about taking action. You have to find your purpose it doesn’t just happen, make finding your purpose a habit! You are going to use your passions and the people around you to create opportunities. Once you have the opportunities you will have to be active. Purpose doesn’t come to those who are passive. Even though you will need to make effort to find your purpose there is no rush. It is not a competition to see who is the most purposeful.  Now it’s time to start your journey towards finding a purpose. It may start out as a smile or a wave. Eventually you will find your purpose. Once you have your purpose share it with others. Let others enjoy the passion that flows through you at every opportunity. Your purpose starts with you but ends with a legacy. Use that legacy to make a difference in the world!