Action isn’t the same as progress

Action isn't the same as progress

I've written before that not taking action is an acceptable response to a question. That is, sometime it's better to leave things alone than to try to "fix" them.

A corollary to that rule is "Action isn't the same as progress."

Working with a client recently, they asked me "Which of these ideas should we implement?" Part of my response was "Whichever you prioritize, make sure you can make progress on these ideas. Not just take action. Because action and progress are not the same."

It reminds me of motivational posters I used to see in my children's elementary school: "Success is measured by effort." Um, no. Success is measured by achieving your goals. The amount of effort you make is actually irrelevant to measuring your success.

So don't confuse "action" with "progress." They're not the same.

Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives

Start with “Why” before you move to “How”

September 20, 2023

Start with “Why” before you move to “How” Something I’ve noticed over my years in …

Start with “Why” before you move to “How” Read More »

The power of users groups!

September 13, 2023

The power of users groups! Last week I had the honor and pleasure of speaking …

The power of users groups! Read More »

Associations are complex businesses!

September 6, 2023

Associations are complex businesses! One of the reasons managing data at an association can be so …

Associations are complex businesses! Read More »

Snapshots are required

August 30, 2023

Snapshots are required Recently a couple of different clients have asked me why it’s necessary …

Snapshots are required Read More »

“It’s in the database…”

August 16, 2023

“It’s in the database…” I often joke with my clients that AMS nirvana looks like …

“It’s in the database…” Read More »

Using the Pomodoro Technique for data management

August 9, 2023

Using the Pomodoro Technique for data management I’m a huge fan of the Pomodoro Technique, …

Using the Pomodoro Technique for data management Read More »

You need a PLAN to deal with duplicates

August 2, 2023

You need a PLAN to deal with duplicates Here’s the thing about duplicate records: No …

You need a PLAN to deal with duplicates Read More »

Asking for more is a good sign…

July 26, 2023

Asking for more is a good sign… A client who had recently implemented a new …

Asking for more is a good sign… Read More »

Take action…

July 19, 2023

Take action… “The greatest wisdom not applied to action and behavior is meaningless data.” – …

Take action… Read More »

The Rule of 100 and 1,000 revisited

July 12, 2023

The Rule of 100 and 1,000 revisited I’m finding that the “Rule of 100 and …

The Rule of 100 and 1,000 revisited Read More »

Scroll to Top