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
Daylight savings and business rules
Daylight savings and business rules This past Sunday, most of the US observed Daylight Savings […]
It’s always about priorities
It’s always about priorities No matter the size or type of technology project, you will […]
Only one can be best
Only one can be best One of my (many) pet peeves with software vendor marketing […]
Seek to simplify
Seek to simplify When I work with my clients on system selection or implementation, one […]
Some problems are not problems
Some problems are not problems “A problem with no solution is not a problem, it’s […]
UI Matters!
UI Matters! Almost since I began consulting over 20 years, I’ve noted how important the […]
Be careful with absolutes
Be careful with absolutes When I speak with clients I try to be careful about […]
New Year’s Resolutions
New Year’s Resolutions Why do New Year’s Resolutions fail? Research suggests that part of the […]
Why Process is So Important
Why Process is So Important One of my favorite business authors is James Clear, who writes all […]
The Significant Change of SaaS Software
The Significant Change of SaaS Software One of the most significant technological changes in the […]
