The Action-Taker’s Advantage: Why Taking Action Trumps Raw Intelligence in the Pursuit of Success

Do you see successful people online and think: they are not really that smart?

In today’s world (and I’m guessing in the future too) knowing everything about World War II or having an A on the vocabulary test is not really important anymore. Taking action is the new success formula!

Because the internet and now AI knows all of those things and you can research them within minutes. Having exams about facts that you can google is pointless.

Those students who have As on those exams can be the smartest in their class but also the dumbest. And I’m one of them.

I overthink, over-analyze, and plan too much.

The not-so-smart people who are making a lot of money are way ahead of us because they didn’t overthink or plan.

Do you know what they did?

They Are Just Taking Action!

They just went straight into

taking action,
learning,
failing,
adjusting,
getting feedback,
and learning.

Taking action triumphs intelligent people who are still in the planning phase. They are way ahead because they tried, failed, and at some point succeeded.

I was the intelligent person worrying about what other people might think, if it’s risky, and what the best way is to not fail.

I know now all the worst things that could happen when I start writing online. From leaking half-naked photos to getting mobbed by internet trolls. I think I had bad dreams about everything that can get wrong.

But at some point, I said: F*ck it!

I just do it!

I started publishing my writing online. And nobody cared!

Since then I’ve had growth, I’ve had failures and I learned a lot.

“The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.”
— Tony Robbins

Change Your Mindset

Overthinking is also part of a negative mindset.

Going through life and worrying about all the bad outcomes is not a happy way to live.

I knew that and so I changed my mindset slowly.

By applying those 3 strategies:

surrounding myself with positive people
practicing positive self-talk
engaging in activities that bring joy

Instead of worrying and having bad dreams I’m daily practicing positive self-talk.

I think about 3 things I’m grateful for. I say my positive affirmations and I visualize my dream future and myself in it.

Based on those habits my mind knows where I want to go and gives me opportunities to get there.

I see life as more positive. Instead of thinking about what can go wrong, I see opportunities to grow.

Now a few weeks ago I thought to myself again: f*ck it!

I’m starting to post on Instagram now. I’ve figured that my target group is based there and not on Twitter.

I was scared.

And what happened: I’ve had some growth, not many likes and I learned a lot already.

Sometimes we are too much in our heads while the world is moving ahead, and others are figuring it out on their own.

“The path to success is to take massive, determined actions.”
Tony Robbins

Conclusion

Are you thinking of something you want to do for a long time? But you are worried and overthinking?

Just do it!

*Great slogan by Nike by the way!

You have to start taking action and risking something to get the success you want!

I know we are too scared to fail sometimes, but failure is a good thing. And trust me when I say: other people don’t care about you and your failures that much.

This is about you, your future, and your success!