365 Days With Self-Discipline: 365 Life-Altering Thoughts on Self-Control, Mental Resilience, and Success

Day 40: On Talking vs. Doing

It is better to practice a little than talk a lot.

—A Zen saying, attributed to Muso Soseki

Announcing  to  all  of  your  friends,  family  members,  and  colleagues

that you’re going to change and going deep into details how you’re going to

do it is useless at best and sabotaging at worst.

Firstly, not everyone will be happy to hear that you want to improve

yourself because it will make it painfully obvious that they’re lazy or don’t

have  as  much  courage  as  you  do.  Instead  of  support,  you  can  receive

criticism that might make you less likely to act upon your dreams.

Secondly,  research  suggests  that  announcing  your  plans  makes  you

less motivated to accomplish them. 

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 By talking about your plans, you get

the  erroneous  satisfaction  that  you’ve  already  taken  action  to  change

yourself and consequently, you’re less likely to take real action.

If you want to tell your friends about your new goal, choose a person

whom you know will support you. In addition, instead of telling them in a

self-congratulatory  way  that  you’re  finally  going  to  achieve  your  dreams,

ask them to hold you accountable if you don’t honor your resolution.

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