Deciding is not
The same as taking action
Recently I was in the dentist office with my son for his bi-annual cleaning. The hygienist was meticulously working through his mouth and assessing his level of awareness and action towards dental hygiene. She is almost done with the appointment when she asked these fateful words, “do you floss?”
The hygienist went on to say that she didn’t learn to floss till she was in dental school. She knew like the rest of us that flossing was part of the a good dental hygiene regime but she didn’t really put in the time, energy or effort. She went on the explain that first of all, she didn’t know how to properly floss. It wasn’t until she was in college that someone took the time to actually show her the “C scoop” method of effective flossing. Next, she was exposed to the pain of gum disease and the potential for bone loss and loss of teeth the is a consequence of not flossing. This experience in college was a breakthrough moment in her dental health that not only set her up for her own success but she is now able to pass that on to others.
John Maxwell says that “breakthroughs occur in people and organizations when they hurt enough that they have to change, learn enough that they want to change or receive enough that they are able to change.”
Where are you at today? What area in your life or organization do you need a breakthrough? Breakthroughs require change and action. There is a story that has been around for years about five frogs sitting on a log. Four of the frogs decided to jump off. How many frogs are left on the log?
Five!
Deciding is not the same thing as taking action. Hurting, learning and receiving can get you your breakthrough but not without action. You have to pick up the floss and do it consistently.