September 25, 2010 36 Comments

Doing Is More Fun Than Planning

I just signed up for a 5K trail run, the first time I’ve signed up for a race since the end of 2004. (Of course, moments after I signed up, I realized that I was actually not able to run that race, because I’ll be in Disney at the time it’s going on, but that’s not important.) Here’s what makes this cool: I’ve been sitting around NOT running for a while. I’ve dabbled at it.

But signing up is saying that I’m going to do it. It says, “You’d better go out and practice. You’d better get into even vague shape.” This is doing. It is pushing the button. It’s making something leave the theoretical and pushing it into the actual.

Once you start doing, things become a lot more real. You make mistakes. You learn. You practice. Once you start doing, you can interact with others who have done. You suddenly join a fraternity of those who’ve done something similar. Once you start doing, you can measure your own abilities, and you can try to improve against yourself (not necessarily against others).

Before you start doing, you’re just talking. You’re planning. Sure it’s great to have a plan. But if you do a LOT of planning and not a lot of doing, you’re not doing.

So, what are you going to do? What haven’t you done that you need a push to start doing? What’s step one?

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http://johnmclachlan.ca John McLachlan

My step one is to dramatically ramp up my business in a direction that I’ve been “planning” for, for quite some time. As you say, easy to talk, harder (but more rewarding) to do.

Thanks for the kick and the reminder.
http://johnmclachlan.ca John McLachlan

My step one is to dramatically ramp up my business in a direction that I’ve been “planning” for, for quite some time. As you say, easy to talk, harder (but more rewarding) to do.

Thanks for the kick and the reminder.
http://reallifemadman.wordpress.com Marjorie Clayman

haha :) I agree, Chris…

Now let’s hope that you are able to pretend you’re gonna run the race even though your brain knows you aren’t.

Keep being awesome.
http://reallifemadman.wordpress.com Marjorie Clayman

haha :) I agree, Chris…

Now let’s hope that you are able to pretend you’re gonna run the race even though your brain knows you aren’t.

Keep being awesome.
http://ajleon.me ajleon

Haha, love the yoda pic! Planning is obviously important, but I cannot tell you how many people I know that have been “planning their next move” for 5 years. In fact, I was exactly like that in the last phase of my life. I wrote a post about this a while back, there’s an opportunity cost to not taking yourself seriously. And taking yourself seriously means pulling the trigger.
Anonymous

Funny you should write about this subject this week. I am a studio potter without a studio – temporarily – as we just moved. So just this week, I signed up for two local clay classes — stopped putting it off, waiting to be fully moved in and just signed up. Will get me back to clay before I’m really ready but much more fun than just thinking about it!
http://cashwithatrueconscience.com/rbblog Ryan Biddulph

Decision marks the difference between dreamers and do’ers. It’s kind of like the difference between those with book smarts and street smarts.
http://www.addingitup.com Rod Watkins

Yes, there is something uniquely special with actually doing. It’s so easy to get sucked into talking and planning, but doing is where everything comes together. Where it all happens. I’ve been wanting to start seriously blogging for years, but I finally took a deep breath and jumped in. It’s still pretty basic but it sure feels good to actually be doing it. And I’ve found you don’t get results until you actually start doing. I just got my first two unsolicited comments. Talk about exciting?
http://www.addingitup.com Rod Watkins

Yes, there is something uniquely special with actually doing. It’s so easy to get sucked into talking and planning, but doing is where everything comes together. Where it all happens. I’ve been wanting to start seriously blogging for years, but I finally took a deep breath and jumped in. It’s still pretty basic but it sure feels good to actually be doing it. And I’ve found you don’t get results until you actually start doing. I just got my first two unsolicited comments. Talk about exciting?
Joanna

Dear Chris,

Yes, taking action beyond our usual comfort zone leads us beyond planning to more creative action. I am in a weekly improv class that is a once a week guarantee of getting pushed into action beyond my usual boundaries. I use my body, my voice, my way of relating to people in novel ways as I move through the improvisational “games” and scenes. It’s great for pushing my creative energy into experimental action in my personal and professional life.
Joanna

Dear Chris,

Yes, taking action beyond our usual comfort zone leads us beyond planning to more creative action. I am in a weekly improv class that is a once a week guarantee of getting pushed into action beyond my usual boundaries. I use my body, my voice, my way of relating to people in novel ways as I move through the improvisational “games” and scenes. It’s great for pushing my creative energy into experimental action in my personal and professional life.
http://www.jayz.co.za Jamaaludeen Khan

This is so true! We all get stuck in the planning mode. Lately I’ve just been *doing* and it’s a great feeling, I feel like I’ve shifted to the next level!
http://www.ricardobueno.com Ricardo Bueno

Do or do not. There is no try. – Yoda
http://jeunellesthirdeyeview.posterous.com Jeunelle Foster

To be is to do …Plato
To do is to be …Descartes
Do be do be do …Sinatra
Scooby Dooby Doo …Scooby Doo
Alright, I got carried away, I apologize Chris :)
http://jeunellesthirdeyeview.posterous.com Jeunelle Foster

To be is to do …Plato
To do is to be …Descartes
Do be do be do …Sinatra
Scooby Dooby Doo …Scooby Doo
Alright, I got carried away, I apologize Chris :)
http://www.reptileapartment.com John F Taylor

I am putting together my company newsletter. Been struggling with what to put in it and so forth. Now, I am putting it together and actually doing it.
http://notagreatrunner.blogspot.com Notagreatrunner

I was in the same position in January 2010, just talking about getting fit, being healthy…… Then I entered the Great North Run (Half Marathon in UK). I planned, I ran, and now I have just started blogging about being a bad runner (@notagreatrunner). It feels GREAT!

http://www.alexdumitru.com Alex Dumitru

Hahaha, that’s really funny

http://notagreatrunner.blogspot.com Notagreatrunner

I was in the same position in January 2010, just talking about getting fit, being healthy…… Then I entered the Great North Run (Half Marathon in UK). I planned, I ran, and now I have just started blogging about being a bad runner (@notagreatrunner). It feels GREAT!
http://mikemcsharry.com/ mikemcsharry

So – what’s the problem with the trail run? You’re in Disney – here’s the challenge – go out on your own at the time you’d be running – and run anyway!
I learned about the Round Leicestershire Relay race 5 years ago.
I handed the baton over between leg 1 and leg 2 today – okay – I wasn’t leading the race but it felt GRRRRREEEATTTT!!
(My loungest lad is doing leg 12 in about 4 hours)

http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

That’s an interesting idea. I’ll just run through the bushes in Epcot. : )

Anonymous

I should have added – I handed the baton over at 9am on a sunday morning! The sight of Chris crashing through the Epcot bushes may be quite a spectator pull :)

Bkjrecruiter

I am going to launch a new blog this year focused on adding value for Recruiter’s and Headhunter to better serve there customers utilizing “inbound marketing” stategies (vs. “snake oil salesman” strategy’s which is common in my industry)… Best, Brian-

PS Totally excited Chris you are working on your health.. Your family deserves a healthy Daddy!

Best, Brian-
http://oncochat.typepad.com maverickny

Reminds me of a lunch with 3 Twitter gals earlier this year; none of us had ever met prior to that. We had a great time. One of them asked if any of us would like to do the Tufts Medical Centre 25 mile bike ride for the Floating Kids Hospital. Two of us rashly said yes and signed up.

Later, after committing myself I realised with a jolt that 25 miles was like, a marathon in distance. Oh man, 3 middle aged out of shape gals who didn’t know each other doing a bike ride? In Boston? No, further north in Marblehead, MA. So, I set goals, trained hard for 3 weeks beforehand and completed the hilly tough course in under 3 hours. w00t! It felt good! We also raised over $7K as a team, developed new friendships in real life and my fitness and health plan got kick started.

Amazing what you can do when you try.
http://www.sydneysmallbusinesscentre.com Amanda

I agree with the benefit of doing definitely – although I’m a fan of a certain amount of planning first.I’ve always loved this quote from Murray: “Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back– Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.”

However doing is one thing; getting STARTED doing is another. (And just do it is easy to say and not always easy to do.) So I think one of the key things in what you wrote Chris is that you signed up. I think it’s the public commitment to something that calls us to account to ultimately do the doing – so in the business I run, launched recently and already with more clients than I can (almost) handle, the one thing I am putting off doing, is holding the first face-to-face training session. Because after all, that’s like the party you have that no one comes to so I freely admit to a certain amount of anxiety abut that. Far easier to let myself off the hook and just handle the clients coming through the door – already quite lucrative. SO, announcing the first training by my Oct 11 newsletter…Yikes!
http://productivityjunkies.com/ Darin Persinger

There is certainly a difference between deciding and committing. Its easy to decide, much tougher to commit.
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http://cynthiaho.com/enblog Cynthia

Doing is just a continuation of problem-solving and planning.
Pingback: The next level: Doing! | Jayz Internet Solutions
http://www.russelldunkin.com Russell Dunkin

Chris, I did essentially that same thing earlier this year, and 3 times since with running. By signing up, and more importantly telling people, I felt compelled to make it happen. It got me through my first 5k in 10 years in May, two more this summer, and my first 10k on Sunday.
http://www.thesecuritywebsite.com/ Security

Planning is not bad but the important thing is to implement it. With implementation only we comes to know where we are going wrong and where we need more practicing.
http://www.thesecuritywebsite.com/ Security

Planning is not bad but the important thing is to implement it. With implementation only we comes to know where we are going wrong and where we need more practicing.
http://www.thesecuritywebsite.com/ Security

Planning is not bad but the important thing is to implement it. With implementation only we comes to know where we are going wrong and where we need more practicing.
http://www.blackfridayplanet.com/ William Hushburn

I think the best things in life are those unplanned.
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http://www.handles4doors.co.uk/cabinet_handles_cupboard_knobs Cabinet Handles

Doing and getting the results is the most significant aspect of any process and essential to make any task worthwhile.

Doing Is More Fun Than Planning

ChrisBrogan.com runs on the Genesis Framework

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