Action Only Happens Now

A lesson on action verbs can improve your ability to take action.

 Grasshopper Notes are the writings from America's Best Known Hypnotherapist John Morgan. His podcasts contain his most responded to essays and blog posts from the past two decades. 

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Transcript

Action Only Happens Now

Verbs are the action words of the English language. They move things along.

Verbs also have tenses—past, present, and future. And that reminds me of a story.

Back in 1970s I was offered a radio job in St. Louis by a man I eventually came to loathe. But I have to give him props—he did share one useful piece of advice.

He told me my on-air performance would improve with one small adjustment: use action verbs.

For example, a morning DJ might say something like:

“WXYZ, the home of the hits. If you’re having trouble popping out of bed this morning, here’s my way of helping you . . . a song by Stark Naked & The Car Thieves on WXYZ.”

His version?

“WXYZ—the home of the hits—pops you out of bed and gets you moving. Here’s Stark Naked & The Car Thieves on WXYZ.”

Same idea. Fewer words. More motion.

Little did I know . . . that was the only helpful piece of information he would ever offer.

But it stuck.

Because action really only takes place now.

If I say, “I raked the leaves last fall,” that doesn’t help the pile sitting on my lawn today. That action happened . . . then. Now it’s just a memory.

And if I say, “I’m going to start an exercise program,” that sounds good—but the action is parked somewhere in the future.

Funny thing is, our mind often acts like we’ve already done something just because we said we would.

So how many of the verbs in your life live in the past . . . or the future?

Because action only happens in the present tense.

One of my least favorite phrases is: “I tried that.”

First of all, the word try barely commits to action. And when I ask a few follow-up questions, I usually discover there wasn’t much follow-up at all.

Goals don’t respond to occasional “tries.” They respond to consistent action.

Think about athletes.

The one who only turns it on for the big game usually has a short career. When the physical gifts start to fade, there’s nothing underneath.

But the athlete who shows up every day . . . who keeps taking action . . . often stretches that window of opportunity much longer.

So how much hit-and-miss is showing up in your life?

Often it’s just a noun waiting for the energy of a verb.

Action.

After you set a goal, here’s a simple practice:

Ask yourself one question.

What action can I take right now to move toward this desire?

Sometimes the answer might be nothing at the moment. But even then, the question itself points your mind toward action.

Get in the habit of asking it.

“What action can I take right now?”

You may be surprised how often something small—and useful—comes to mind.

So go ahead.

Give it a spin.

Right now.

What action can I take right now?

All the best,

John