Shifting from Inner to Outer Focus

“What we plant in the soil of contemplation, we shall reap in the harvest of action.” – Meister Eckhart

“The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps -- we must step up the stairs.” – Vance Havner

“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

“Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly.” – Robert Schuller

“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” – Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

In the ebb and flow of life and in balancing our inner/yin and outer/yang focus over the days, weeks, months and years, we sometimes need to intentionally shift our ways of doing and being.

If you find yourself stuck in a passive frame of mind and unable to get things done, here is a list of tools to support you in moving from an inner ‘reflective’ focus to the outer ‘doing’ focus. Use these tools when you need to act – to move ahead on what is most important to you.

Think Different - Do different things and do things differently
Skill Assessment - Get clarity on what you want to do
Willpower Building Methods - Learn from small projects first. 
Visible Change - Ways to know you are moving forward
Hot List - Keep handy your list of most important topics for journaling.
List Making - Watch how your mind works. Expand your creativity.

Questions to consider are:

• What 3 most important things do you want to accomplish?
• What goals or next steps are unclear or need more effort?
• What decisions must be made? What problems solved?
• What have you been procrastinating that you will recommit to?
• What new endeavour are you ready to start?
• What can you do to improve your health and energy?
• What is your most important immediate next step?