Reflection is promoted as a cure for stress, dissatisfaction, burnout, and many other conditions. Yet there is a remedy that can solve these problems more effectively: initiative.
Stop reflecting and do something. Stop overthinking your problems, looking at them from all sides and designing ways to solve them; instead, actively address the problem.
It's no use spending your life thinking, reflecting and analyzing. Actions speak louder than a thousand words. And they change the world!
Of course, there is a time for reflection. If you don't know where the problem lies or how to solve it, then you have to think about it until you have an idea.
But once you know what the challenge is and how you might be able to overcome it, it's time to take the initiative. If you're not sure if the solution is the best possible, try it out on a small scale. Launch a prototype of your solution and see what happens.
Being able to take the initiative is a skill that is becoming increasingly important. Thinking cannot make money for a company, pass a law for a government, or save a human life. Only action can accomplish that.
Don't overdo reflection, think of it as a tool to guide your actions. Reflection is not an end in itself. We glorify “thinkers” today as geniuses who return to civilization with a brilliant solution after years of pondering.
That's not how innovation works. Innovation requires hard work and many setbacks. You have to gain experience for it, which you only get through actions.
You must be willing to fail if you want to achieve great things. Not only accept the risk that comes with the initiative, but embrace it as a great opportunity to improve yourself and the world.
If you want to receive rewards, you must also be prepared to pay their price. From nothing, nothing comes.
Reflection is a tool that must be used wisely. Of course, it is necessary and cannot be replaced by action. But neither should reflection replace action.
Reflection and initiative belong inseparably together, but must not limit each other.
Keep a diary, set new goals annually, and check weekly or monthly to see if you're still on track. But for the rest of the time, stop reflecting and take the initiative!