The Power of Taking Action

Where does the time go? One minute it’s the middle of summer and the next I am halfway through fall! It is hard to believe how much can happen when you aren’t actively taking control of your life… and yes, this has recentlyhappened to me.

I remember working at OpenText just over a year ago sitting in my first meeting, and the Chief Technology Officer was giving all of the co-op students a talk about going for what you truly want in both your personal and professional life. At the end of the talk he asked: “Who wants an iPad?” Naturally, I said “I do” – no one else did, so I immediately panicked and thought Oh crap, why did I say that? A few weeks later I received my brand new white iPad, still in the crisp Apple® box – nothing else to it; he asked, I spoke up, and here I am today blogging from that very same iPad.

So what did I learn that day am why am I bragging about my free iPad? I’m not bragging; I’m sharing a valuable lesson that I learned that day, which I will carry with me forever.

The power of taking action is never to be underestimated.

The iPad story parallels the past few months of my life; I was letting other people call the shots with work, my personal relationships and my health. It was hard to admit to myself, but I had let others take control of how I felt. At the beginning of the month I decided to make a simple vow to myself: I will never again do anything that doesn’t make me happy, and I will never spend time with people who do not make me happy, and treat me the way I deserve to be treated.

Leading a healthy lifestyle and achieving self-success starts with taking action. Promise yourself today that you will begin to take full control – and full responsibility – for your life and the choices you make in it.

“If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.” ― Nora Roberts, best-selling author