Massive Action

Have you ever noticed that almost no one actually does anything? Somewhere around 99% of people simply tread water in the sea of life, and always seem to be in the same place whenever you check on them. These people aren’t dumb or incapable – they’re just stuck in a permanent rut.

Listen to people’s problems. They’re always the same. One person always seems to be just short of rent every month. Another keeps meaning to start some project, but it never materializes. Someone else is always in a bad relationship somehow.

This isn’t coincidence or bad luck. If you’re in a situation like this, then pay attention : It’s your fault.

The easiest in the world to do is complain. So alluring is the complaint that most people choose it over taking action. Observe people around you. How many are actively doing something TODAY that will help them reach their goals? How many will complain some time today about not being where they want to be?

In my experience, there is nothing more powerful than taking massive action. I have many successful friends, and I constantly try to observe what they have in common that less successful people don’t have. There are several things I’ve noticed, but one of the most important is that they all take action.

My friend Steve, who runs Smiley Media, works non stop on his business. If he’s at home, he’s probably working on it. He dropped out of school to do it. Mystery, Tyler, and other famous Pick up artists go out every night to learn more about meeting women. Very rarely do you see someone who is actually taking massive action on a regular basis who hasn’t gotten anywhere. How much action do you think bums are taking? Not much.

Direction is important too, but it doesn’t need to be precise. Often people will obsess over every last detail, trying to formulate the perfect plan. This is totally unnecessary, as plans are never followed anyway.

Imagine that you’re in Tynanville and you want to get to Springfield. There are two roads, A and B, that both get there. If one person sits around trying to figure out which route is faster, better, or more efficient, and the other person just takes one of the roads, the latter person is going to get their first. Maybe the first person will decide after a while that it’s too far away or that there’s too much traffic and will never get there. If the second person went in South instead of North he would also never get there, but just knowing the general right direction was enough.

When I wanted to become a professional gambler, I researched but I played at the same time. Within a week I was immersed in gambling and was close to figuring out how to win. If I had spent time overanalyzing everything without getting into the game, I may have never done it.

When I moved to LA to learn pickup I thought I wanted to become a pickup artist. After a while I realized that going out to clubs every night wasn’t my lifestyle of choice, but I had learned the confidence and skills that I had really needed.

When I started my first diet two years ago I hadn’t done enough research to know that eating meat wasn’t healthy. Instead of spending my life researching it while eating hot dogs and french fries I used the best knowledge I had and cut out flour, sugar, and bad fats. A year later when I learned that being Vegan was better, I added those restrictions easily.

Massive action doesn’t guarantee success by any means, but it does provide the opportunity for it. When I wrote my book, The Skinny Snob, I jumped right into it. I wrote the book within 24 hours and had the site ready to go in a week. I didn’t plan it out, print business cards, and research the market. I ended up making a little money, but in the end the venture fizzled. At least I learned a lot about the game, though, and now when I release my book about meeting women it will be a lot easier.

And hey, I’d rather be doing something than nothing. Just sitting around thinking guarantees failure.

Already since getting fired only 11 days ago I’ve started a new blog, written a book about meeting women, sold my old house, and have almost built another site that I will launch soon.

If you feel inspired, take some massive action today. It’s Sunday, so you’re not doing anything else anyway. Buy a house. Start a business. Call your brother that you haven’t spoken to in ten years. Break up with your crappy boyfriend and come in my hot tub.


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14 responses to “Massive Action”

  1. Matt Avatar
    Matt

    Everything you’ve said is spot on. I’ve had some big changes in my life recently from doing just that. I used to compulsively plan every little detail, and I think subconsciously I was using my planning as an excuse to take no action.

  2. chrisp Avatar
    chrisp

    I’m pretty bad with procrastination and I know I’m the only one to blame. When I finally launched my new website within a day of coming up with the idea I was really surprised with myself. I usually get myself bogged with trying to make sites perfect in detail or plan out every little possible feature and I end up just getting tired of it and stop, but not in this most recent case. I just had the basic idea, a good domain name for the project, and just did it and figured I’ll come up with more ideas for it as the site grows.

    Unfortunately I do have something to do today, it’s my Grandma’s birthday party so I have a bit of traveling to do and laundry to do later. If I do find some free time I may try to take some action myself and see what turns up.

  3. Jazz One Avatar
    Jazz One

    I completely agree.
    I always talk about the living dead. People who go to work, come home and watch reality tv and go to bed. Reality tv is popular because it allows you to live vicariously through the people on the shows.
    Live your life.

  4. Matt Avatar
    Matt

    Yeah, I’d probably extand “reality tv” to “tv” in general. I found that over the last year, as I’ve been making my life more interesting, I’ve progressively lost interest in TV, the point I’m at now, I virtually watch zero TV (maybe 1 hour a week accumulatively). My roommates watch TV virtually the whole time that they are home – so unfortunately I don’t miss out on the droning sound of the box 🙁

    But yeah, in my mind, TV isn’t the enemy – being afraid of the potential “pain period” or being afraid of “newbie embarassment” when doing something new is the enemy.

  5. LadyTea Avatar
    LadyTea

    Great post.. right on – It’s nice to have a refresher on how important it is to be proactive. Commentor’s: Good points as well — we should live our own exciting/adventurous life, instead of watching it on tv… so true.

  6. kurtist Avatar
    kurtist

    Great post, I am definently guilty of over planning.
    My old yoga teacher used to always say “every journey begins with the first step.” thank you for the reminder.

  7. Hu_Hefner Avatar
    Hu_Hefner

    “Break up with your crappy boyfriend and come in my hot tub.”

    Taken out of context, this becomes quite humorous.

  8. Streetwise keeb Avatar
    Streetwise keeb

    Damn man you are right on. I always tell me friends, do something everyday that will bring you one step towards your goals. That way no day is wasted and everyday you are getting better. I mean, with me Im studying PUA or reading about evolutionary psychology (for fun mostly) or studying my field of choice, psychology, or meditating, ect. Point is every day I do something that takes me a step closer to my goals, wether it be my careear, pick up, enlightenment or just looking and feeling my best. I like your whole style of thinking about thing Tynan, you have grasped the concept I am reaching for which is just fully flowing with life so when a chellenge comes you can be a reed in the wind and bend, instead of being a stick and breaking in half.

  9. Sir Turj Avatar
    Sir Turj

    “Paralysis through analysis” is definitely something I am guilty of. But make no mistake: planning is important. (Recall the saying “Fail to plan, then plan to fail”.) However, there is a point were the returns you get from planning diminish and further planning will hurt you more than help. The challenge is to recognize this balance point and to do something about it.

  10. Evan Avatar
    Evan

    When I saw the subject line “Massive Action”, I was really excited…but it turns out this is about work and stuff. 🙁

  11. Gubanotorious Avatar
    Gubanotorious

    I absolutely agree with this post.

    When I retire at the age of 32 filthy rich, the average person will say I got lucky. What the average person won’t see (but the people that know me will) was the 80 hour weeks I put in, with 200% dedication to what I’m doing.

    Nothing worth doing comes without sacrifice and dedication.

    For any of you out there looking for a quick read, check this out. It is inspiring and has become a required read for any person the company hires:

    http://www.amazon.com/Rhinoceros-Success-Scott-Alexander/dp/0937382000

    We liked it so much, we adopted the rhinoceros for marketing purposes. Check out http://www.workflow.com

  12. Magnus Avatar
    Magnus

    The way to do anything is to
    1. Make a Picture of what you want
    2. Take a Step Towards it.

    If you don’t take a step, you’ll never get anyway, so action is good. But if you don’t have a clear picture – or SEVERAL clear pictures – how do you know if you are doing the right thing.

    I know a guy… ahem… whose goals are a little bit too abstract… and who gets distracted easily… who knows what would happen if he consistently focused on one picture…

  13. Scribe Avatar
    Scribe

    Tynan, thank you. I will do my laundry now.

  14. Owen Avatar
    Owen

    quality. ive been struggling with the same issues. im currently being trained in a private school to just conform and become part of this aimless society. however, im only 17 and having trouble organizing my thoughts as to what i can do about this

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