How to default to action

So tweeted something, and that something went crazy (for me).

That tweet by itself got over 750 retweets, 3,000 likes, and 100,000 impressions.

I knew I liked the quote, but I had no idea it would resonate as it did.

I've been thinking about this concept for weeks, so I had to write about it here.

It started when I was thinking about investing more money in cryptocurrencies. Back in 2013, I believed Bitcoin would be a success, but I didn't take action. If I had bought when I said I would, $3,500 would have turned into over $1.1 million today. You can read a thread I wrote about it here.

Now, I'll acknowledge it is a little bit of revisionist history. I don't know what I would have done in the 2017 runup and subsequent crash (I'd probably have sold on the way down, right?). I might have even lost interest well before that.

I don't have regret, necessarily, as much as it has caused me to reflect on how I make decisions.

It made me adamant that I wanted to act anytime I had a conviction.

Shifting your mindset

For the last 10 years or so, I've been very intentional about reading a lot of books. During that time I've averaged reading around 55-60 books per year, and I read 103 books in 2020.

I've had pride in the numbers I put up because it gives an air of "look how smart I'm becoming." But the reality is, if I don't act on the books that I read, the knowledge is worthless.

That all changed for me in January 2021 when I set a goal for myself that I'd start a personal finance blog.

That turned into a podcast and Twitter presence, but the point is still the same: I finally decided I needed to apply my knowledge and use it for good.

It's in that realization that you shift from a consumer to a producer or creator.

How to default to action

So practically, how can we default to action?

1. When a task comes your way that's less than 2 minutes, do it now.

2. When a task comes your way that's more than 2 minutes, take a 2-minute action now. Then time block it later to finish up.

3. If someone gives a suggestion, say yes. If you trust them, why hesitate?

4. Stop over-thinking. You know when you're doing it, so instead get up and start.

5. If you face fear, lean in. Explore it.

6. If you think "It's a great day to___" just do it.

We want to make action our first move. We can continue to gain knowledge along the way, but get the forward momentum going.

This creates a cycle that can create outsized results in the long run.

I'm sure I'll follow this up in the near future with some more tips, but I'll end it here for now.

What are some things you do that help you take action more quickly?