I’ve been working on this article for about 5 days now, I’m just coming back from a 4 days exciting adventure in Ilorin, where I saw the future of business in Nigeria. I saw young guys and lady’s making great things happen, utilizing their time well and getting themselves positioned for the future. The more I speak with them, the more these thoughts burn in my mind. It’s the law of Diminishing Intent, not my original idea, but it’s motivating to me, so I have decided to put my thoughts on it down for you, and for the future.
“The Longer you wait to do something you know you should do now, the greater the chances you will never actually do it!” – Culled from The Success Formula by Bob Burg.
Patience is a virtue, it in fact is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Patience however does not mean slackness. Patience is rather a manifestation of faith that allows you to maintain decorum as you position for the things that are yours while they do not appear to be so. I’m stating this clearly ahead so that you don’t confuse what I’m writing about today with a motivation to be impatient, you need to have the right context about patience. What you have when you wait without instruction or without faith in a possibility is not patience it’s slackness!
One of the clear differences between successful people and failures is promptness in taking action. It is good to know what you need to do, it’s great to do it. While failures philosophize with excuses, successsful people take action. Successful people have learnt that when you procrastinate till tomorrow, tomorrow rarely ever comes!
The most important step for success to happen is usually the first step. In moving a body from rest into motion, the force required to change status quo is stronger than what is required to maintain it. Woody Allen is quoted as saying that 80% of success is merely showing up. That if you have the conviction to start, the grace to finish becomes available.
Visible transformation starts when thinking changes. In order not to be bound by the law of diminishing intent, these are a few thoughts that need to change.
1. Action doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be something.
It is better to act and gradually perfect your act, than to wait until you have completely mastered it before you start. The odds are you will never completely master what you have not practiced. When it comes to immitating a system of successful actions and activities, practically any action is better than no action at all. Don’t wait for perfect conditions to act, don’t wait for perfect weather to sow. When you know this is what you need to do, don’t let delay rob you of it.
2. Tomorrow never comes.
Never put off till tommorrow what you can do today, those are the words of the master! Procrastination is the thief of time. When you put off what you know you ought to do today till tommorrow, tommorrow has the habit of perpetuating itself, and tommorrow is always a day away. Do it today, do it now! Don’t postpone the best days of your life, express love, show gratitude, ask for a favour, take a chance, take a risk, do it today! Tommorrow is not yours.
3. “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly, until you learn how to do it well” – Zig Ziglar
Do you aim, aim, aim and shoot? Or do you shot, aim, shoot, aim and shoot and aim? I guess it depends on the number of bullets you have. It depends on the number of tries you have, and how much time you have. You are not limited to one try. Success comes from experience, and experience comes from failed attempts. Your bullets are useless in heaven, use them now. Shoot, see how far the target it takes you, adjust and shoot again. Even if your bullets miss, you would have entertained the crowd. I like that quote from Zig Ziglar, “Anything worth doing, is worth doing poorly, until you learn how to do it well”. Medicine and Law are called a practice for one reason, no matter how many years you have done them for, you can’t be perfect… you are still practicing 🙂
4. You don’t need a better environment!
Many people I have met believe they need a better job, a better country, a better opportunity or a better background. Interestingly you don’t need a better environment before you condidtion can be transformed. A lizard in Nigeria rarely ever amounts to more than a lizard in any other nation in the world. You do not need to pray for God to help you change your environment. You odn’t need a different place before you can act, it’s an excuse! In the classical book science of getting rich, the author makes an amazing statement.”Do not wait for a change of environment to act, cause a change in the environment by action.” The first thing you need to do is get clarity about where you want to be, understand the system that has helped others to get there, and act. If you act in a certain way, you will find yourself attracting the relatoinships and actions that will bring you into the environment where you desires can become actualized. Stop waiting for the environment to change, your job to change or your boss to change. Act Now!
I also like the way Napoleon Hill put it in, Think and Grow Rich. – “Do not wait; the time will never be “just right”. Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.” Or the way Jim Stovall put it in , You Don’t Have To Be Blind To See – “Nothing is more powerful than a person who knows his destiny and has chosen now as the time to pursue it.
Is it something you should do because it is a system that others have used to get them to where you want to go? Do it!
28 thoughts on “The Law of Diminishing Intent”
Pingback: Tweets that mention Law of Diminishing Intent | Self-Motivation, Personal Growth and Entrepreneurship Development on DeoluAkinyemi.com -- Topsy.com
Thanks my brother, great words of wisdom. I'm energised and motivated to keep keeping on even as i read through this post.
This is the fuel/oil required to run the engine of life. This is timely as I get ready to soar, heaven is my limit.Thanks for this great post Sir!
Someone once said that “he who gets started never gets stranded”. Sir, this is very timely, i must confes. It has given me more courage to forge ahead. I have made some bold moves recently along specific directions… The impact of your posts are begining to yield fruits in my life. God bles you and thanks once again for that stuff.
I'm carried! Heavy stuff!! Very stirring! And you know what? It has produced at least one result already. God bless you Deolu!
Thumbs Up
Great Piece.
God Bless you sir for this blessing…. Deep!
Great and inspiring. You know one of the things that endears us-young people-to you? Your ability to see a bright future in up even while we cant see for ourselves, and your ability to coach us to stay focused. The seminars in Ilorin were great. Thanks CM!
inspiring…Very inspiring….Really inspiring…..
This is very educative and inspiring. Nice one
every sentence a sentence. This is highly insiring
Nice piece. Nothing happen until one makes it happen and the essence of a task is doing it well and at the appropriate time.thanks and God bless you.
Deolu thanks for the words of wisdom, may God in His infinte mercy take away procrastination out of our individual life.I pray His wisdom won't run dry in your life.It is well.
Ideas do not stay permanently with an indivuidual, as it drops in your heart another person is also receiving it. The success of any idea belong to the man that act fast
Chairman!!! I think I just got fired up for today…nice one there…
What an inspirational message,keep up the good works you are doing
Never wait 4 change 2 happen effect a change by takin steps. A parked car wit its headlight on will only see about 20-50meters ahead but when it starts moving it sees more ahead and its move become stable because the farther it moves the farther it sees. Take a step now.
This inspires me
God bless you, I am challenged
More grace and power!
The future is now. Do not procrastinate your opportunity to be a change agent.
If you want more wealth take more responsibility NOW
This quite motivating and the learning point is act NOW, am really motivated tanx for these great words of wisdom
I think the most important thing is desire, a man must know what he wants even if does not know how to get it. And if he does not know what to do he must at least share it with people whether they are haters or friends. All times barriers are path makers.
Fantastic article, I can relate with it big time. Thanks and god bless.
hmmm.. there u go again deolu, bless ur heart, these are timely words for us. Many times when opportunities stare us in the face, we dont grab it cos we are 'waiting' to feel the right time or right whatever, and then somehow the opportunity just slips away. Thanks you so much
timely, timely, timely.
You can never tell what you can do until you try. So anyone willing to try will do it first. Lord help me!
We cant be overly grateful for your support… Its hard figuring out what would have been of some of us without your leadership… Pursuing our dreams have become something of true importance,it has become more realistic and a worthy path to go because you believed in us when there was nothing no believe in… Thanks sir
GREATER GRACE, VERY INSPIRING
I cannot thank you enough for the article.Thanks Again. Fantastic.