Just recently, I was watching Clarkson’s farm, season 2. Amongst the usual humorous calamities and set-backs, was a huge issue for the farm. Jeremy wanted to diversify and build a farm restaurant, now that he was losing thousands of pounds in EU subsidies. However, the planning department put their foot down and rejected the idea.
Not to be outdone, Clarkson found a loophole that would allow him to build a restaurant in a building that he already owned – the issue? That the council would almost definitely say the idea was impractical. In order to circumvent any rejections, the team needed to transform a dilapidated farm outhouse into a fully functioning restaurant which was serving customers… in 48 hours.
Now builders sometimes have an often unjustified bad rap for going over schedule, over budget, not turning up at all and taking long tea breaks. How was Jeremy going to pull this miracle off?
Well, I will not spoil the ending for you if you are half-way through the series. But suffice it to say that turning a run-down barn into a high-class restaurant in just 2 days is a perfect example of taking massive action to achieve a goal.
Moving on from the world of celebrity, we can use massive action to help us achieve our goals. It’s sometimes pretty scary and requires full blooded commitment to get it done, but it can work miracles if things go well.
Heads up before you start.
- Taking massive action is not for the faint hearted. It sometimes requires a massive push of resources, time, energy and pushes you out of your comfort zone so far that your comfort zone is a dot to you!
- Taking small actions allow you to pivot or take small changes in direction if you find reality is not quite as you imagined it. When taking massive action, you’ll not really have time to make these incremental course changes. Its the equivalent of dipping your toe in the Arctic Ocean before a cold water swim, and diving head first from a hovering helicopter with no wetsuit and little practice, desperately trying to miss the icebergs as you plummet toward the grey, icy waters.
- Taking massive action is also scary. You are riding a raging bull, flying by the seat of your pants and making decisions on the fly. If you are a calm, methodical person who doesn’t like surprises, then perhaps this technique may be one you want to steer clear of.
- It can be costly if things go wrong. Putting all your money into a restaurant that may be closed down by officials if it is not open and functioning by the deadline could cost you dearly. If the weather hadn’t been on their side or they had found an unexploded bomb buried beneath the foundations, all that money would have been wasted.
But it cannot be denied that sometimes, for the right person, at the right time, this technique of taking massive action can work wonders.
Where can massive action help us to be the best version of ourselves?
- When chasing your dreams: Want to turn your passion into a career? Take massive action, dive in headfirst, and make those dreams a reality! It can be scary to give up a seemingly safe job to go freelance or work on a project that you hope will replace your income. But eventually, working a full-time job and a side hustle or two is going to be draining. WHen should you switch careers and plunge in full time? Only you can tell, but many have forged this path before you and made it work. Perhaps you can too!
- During a creative burst: When inspiration strikes, seize the moment! Take massive action to capture and cultivate your creative ideas before they slip away like sand through your fingers. From designing a board or video game to redesigning your garden, it can be really useful to ride the wave we get from the initial enthusiasm for a project before it wanes.
- When facing a daunting challenge: Feeling overwhelmed by a big challenge? Take a deep breath, gather your courage, and take massive action. Break it down into smaller steps, and tackle them one by one like a conqueror! Perhaps you have a house move/clearance coming up on your calendar which is sending you into a tizzy! Book a week off work and bust through it with as much enthusiasm as you can muster. Break the back of a task and as soon as you can see the end in sight, it will motivate you to get the job done.
- When pursuing personal growth: Ready to level up in life? Take massive action to step outside your comfort zone, learn new skills, and embrace opportunities for personal growth. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve! Booking yourself on to next year’s marathon is a great way to dive in and go for broke. Getting sponsorship for a charity that is close to your heart will further motivate you to get your trainers on and start pounding the streets.
- When starting a new venture: Launching a business or embarking on a new project? Don’t hold back! Take massive action, pour your heart and soul into it, and watch your ideas blossom into something extraordinary. Setting up any new business is a scary thought. There are so many different aspects that you are not really an expert in. You may be a master baker in your own home, but you also have to deal with red tape, taxes, salaries and pensions, health inspectors, purchasing or renting a business site, the list goes on and on. But think about everyone else – do you think every shop owner in the country was an expert in all these aspects when they plunged into the deep end? Of course not. They learned quickly and on the job. They asked for help and found solutions to make their dream of owning a bakery a reality. If they can do it, so can you!
- When striving for a major life change: Want to transform your life? Take massive action to break free from old habits, embrace healthier choices, and create the life you’ve always envisioned. At one point in my life, I decided I wanted to experience more than holiday travel. I wanted to meet interesting people with completely different cultures and viewpoints of the world. So I applied as an overseas teacher and ended up in Africa for four years. Talk about a baptism of fire! But I’ve got stories aplenty to bore the grandchildren with!
- When pursuing your passions: Passion is a powerful fuel. Take massive action to pursue your passions with unwavering enthusiasm. Let your passion guide you on an extraordinary journey. If you are passionate about learning a new language, why not schedule a two week holiday there? Better still, get a work transfer to the Spanish office in Madrid and learn Spanish from the locals. Six months in Madrid and you’ll be speaking Spanish like a native!
- When pushing through setbacks: Life throws curveballs, but you’ve got this! Take massive action to push through setbacks, overcome obstacles, and emerge stronger and wiser on the other side. Any example of massive action throws up challenges. But you learn quickly and as long as you are flexible, you can solve the problems you encounter them. Astronauts are trained to be problem solvers. Out there several kilometers above the Earth, without the comforts of home, certainly trains you to adapt to the situation. NASA know that no amount of training can fully prepare their crew for every possible situation they may come across. But by training their astronauts to work closely with their ground crew, together they can overcome the most challenging situations in the most inhospitable of environments.
- When making a difference: Want to make a positive impact? Take massive action to support causes you believe in, lend a helping hand to those in need, and be the change you want to see in the world. There are hundreds of examples of everyday people doing extraordinary things. Take people dealing with life-threatening illnesses. How many of these brave individuals throw themselves into charity fundraising or inspiring others whilst dealing with debilitating symptoms of their disease!
There is no more recognisable guru in this self-help space than Tony Robbins. Check out The Motivation Studio’s talk with the Great about taking massive action
If this is a bit too scary, check out our article on taking small steps to achieve a life goal
When embracing personal challenges: Challenge accepted! Take massive action to push your limits, conquer your fears, and prove to yourself that you’re capable of achieving incredible things. Pushing yourself to the limit can sometimes be the catalyst for discovering power hidden deep within us and help us change the people we were to the people we want to be.