Earlier I wrote about how we have gotten in a rut. How we are hustling, but not thinking about the why of our actions.

Today, I want to touch upon a different but related angle. It is about our personalities.

Some of us are impulsive by nature. We jump to conclusions and taking action without giving much thought to consequences.

Then there are those who are too calculative. They plan too much and don’t take action.

Both kinds may be useful at times.

But if you want to be useful in the long run, get into the habit of thinking enough and then act until you have put all your thoughtful plans into action. You may not be naturally good at both thinking and doing so train yourself to develop the one that is lacking and leverage the one that comes easy to you.

For example, if you have a hard time thinking then get into the habit of taking a long leisurely walk every day and use that time to come up with ideas and think about the efficacy of your plans. Nothing gets you in creative thinking mode better than some oxygen in your head and a change of scenery.

If you have a hard time taking action, then learn to work with deadlines. Instead of giving yourself a deadline that is too far in the future for a mega project, break your well-thought plan into daily action with daily deadlines and don’t allow yourself to miss a deadline on 2 consecutive occasions.

Such practices should allow you to find the middle ground between thinking, planning, and action. Do you think such a balance will help you at work and in your personal life?