There’s a big difference between motion and action. Motion feels like progress, but action gets the result.
A good example is the story of the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years. She heard Jesus was in town and thought to herself, if I touch the helm of his garment, I will be made whole. That thought was motion. But when she actually stood up, pressed through the crowd, and touched his garment, that was action—and that’s when the miracle happened. If she had only thought about it, nothing would have changed.
Motion is when you’re busy doing something, but the task won’t produce an outcome by itself. Action, on the other hand, is the doing—the step that leads to results. Motion is like a noun, a name. Action is the verb, the doing word.
Writing out the names of people you want to call for your business is motion. Picking up the phone and calling them is action.
Writing scripts and making plans for your first YouTube video is motion. Sitting down and recording the video is action.
Many people stay stuck in motion, mistaking it for productivity. It’s the same difference between knowledge and wisdom. Every smoker knows they are liable to die young—that’s knowledge. Wisdom is in not smoking.
A lot of people already know how to start a business, lose weight, or play the piano. They’ve done all the research, gathered all the steps, and written out all the plans. But until they actually begin, none of that produces results. The world pays attention to those who take action, not those who remain on “someday island.”
Motion feels safe. It’s within your control, and because you can’t fail at planning or researching, it shields you from criticism. As James Clear puts it, “motion allows us to feel like we’re making progress without running the risk of failure.” It feels like you’re doing something, but you’re not.
The truth is, motion without action leads to paralysis. You end up with schemes, plans, and anxiety but no progress. Days go by, then weeks, and the perfectly designed plan fades away. You repeat the cycle all over again and call it progress. But it isn’t.
The lesson is simple:
Learn a bit.
Scheme a bit.
Plan a bit.
But then—just do it.
Because it’s better to risk failing by taking action than to guarantee failure by living in motion.
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