stop thinking yourself to death:the "just do something" strategy

I have mentored and coached some incredible people over the years. They are intelligent, hard-working, and highly successful. But I’ve noticed a recurring pattern: some of the people with the most potential are the ones who "think themselves to death."

There is a time for deep thought and planning. But at some point, you just have to do something.

The Dread of the Roof

Outside of my professional life, I’m a woodworker, an archer, and a hunter. I also do most of the work on my own home. This past fall, I replaced my roof and two skylights.

Let me tell you: I hate roofing. It is brutal work. You scrape off 3,000 square feet of old shingles and tar paper, then toss them into a dumpster. When you’re prying out thousands of nails on your knees for hours or carrying 80-pound bundles of new shingles up a ladder, it takes more than just muscle—it takes a certain amount of mental endurance.

I dreaded waking up in the morning and climbing onto that roof. I am the kind of guy who can talk myself into half a day of distractions. I can always find something to “research” or a materials list to "re-plan" just to avoid getting started.

Putting on the "Superman Suit"

Since I know my tendencies, I developed a strategy that works every time. I call it the “Just Do Something” Strategy. For home projects, my “something” is just putting on my raggedy old work jeans and boots. That’s it. Once the boots are laced up, I don’t want to touch my furniture or stay inside the house.

Those boots are my Superman Suit. When I put them on, I transform into a project-maniac. One 13-hour day turns into two, then three, then six—and before I know it, the mission is complete. All because I committed to the first, smallest step.

Why Your Organization is Sinking in "Analysis Paralysis"

In the corporate world, people call this Analysis Paralysis. I despise trend phrases like that, but the sentiment is legitimate. We procrastinate on daunting tasks by calling it "planning." We plan, then we plan some more, then we plan the plan.

Planning is just a safe way of standing still.

If your organization is stuck, you need to apply the "Just Do Something" rule:

• Need a new software system? Don't read another white paper. Call the contractor. That conversation will create your to-do list.

• Need to run complex engineering numbers? Just open the blueprints. Once they are on the desk, your mind knows it’s time to work.

• Starting a business? Just create the email address. Build the Wix site. Buy the domain.

Especially for entrepreneurs: Stop talking and start doing. Sharing your dream too early often leads to people telling you why it won’t work. Save the talking for after you have a proof of concept.

Lessons from the Attic: Katrina

Being a Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer taught me that the mission must get done—no matter what.

During Hurricane Katrina, we found people trapped in the attics of their flooded homes. We didn't have the right tools to get them out. In the early days all we had was a tiny, dull crash axe we always carried in the helicopter—a tool we usually joked was a "piece of sh*t."

We didn't wait for a better tool. We didn't wait for a better plan. We started with the one thing we could do: We grabbed the axe and we started swinging. We chopped several people out of their attics that day because we chose a dull tool over a perfect plan.

The Bottom Line

Completion is the result of a thousand small actions, not one perfect thought. You don’t have to be a Rescue Swimmer to put on your work boots and get started.

What is the "one thing" you can do today to stop planning and start leading?