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

How to avoid the “IT black hole”

July 20, 2022

How to avoid the “IT black hole” Going all the way back to my days […]

The “People” are important!

July 13, 2022

The “People” are important! I’ve written a lot about people, process, and technology over the […]

Always look for the MVP

July 6, 2022

Always look for the MVP I first wrote about minimum viable product (MVP) just three […]

The longer you take, the longer it will take

June 29, 2022

The longer you take, the longer it will take It may sound like a tautology, […]

Data is for action

June 22, 2022

Data is for action When deciding whether or not to collect a piece of data, […]

Have you shopped yourself?

June 15, 2022

Have you shopped yourself? I’ve always been fascinated by the “secret shopper” concept. (Maybe it’s […]

To improve adoption, decrease the friction

June 1, 2022

To improve adoption, decrease the friction “Before you try to increase your willpower, try to […]

“Is this normal?”

May 25, 2022

“Is this normal?” ne of the greatest parts about my job is that I get […]

Give your staff more freedom, not less

May 18, 2022

Give your staff more freedom, not less I often tell my clients, when it comes […]

My advice? Stop doing that

May 11, 2022

My advice? Stop doing that! There is a classic TV sketch featuring Bob Newhart as […]

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top