The Taking Action Quiz
What does it mean to take action?
- Orly Katz
- Orly Katz
Three boys are sitting on the edge of a swimming pool when they all suddenly notice a gorgeous girl swimming towards them. Two of the boys decide to dive into the water. How many stay on the edge of the pool?
The correct answer is (c), because although two of the boys had decided to dive in, it doesn’t mean that they did. There’s a difference between deciding to do something and actually doing it, so as far as we know, there are still three boys on the side of the pool.
One
Two
All three of the boys
In order to become a pro and be outstandingly good at something, you have to persist with your practice routine. How much time should you spend practicing each day (for example at playing a musical instrument)?
The correct answer is (b). In order to excel at something you have to keep up a daily practice routine. If, for example, you want to be an international jazz musician, you’ll have to practice at least 3 hours a day, every day, for ten years. That’s what the Beatles did, that’s what Mozart did too. You don’t have to have any more natural talent that anyone else, but 10,000 hours practice makes the difference from being average to being one of the best. Practice improves your confidence as well as your success. Being successful depends 10% on talent and 90% on persisting with your practice routine.
Two hours.
Three hours.
Five hours.
You hate tidying your room, but it has to get done somehow or other. What can you do to help it get done?
The correct answer is (a). Making chores into a game is a great way of doing things we dislike or keep putting off. For example, if you’ve got loads of waste paper that needs throwing out, how about hanging the wastepaper bin on your cupboard and making the tidying up into a game of throwing paper balls into the basket? That way you can have fun while you’re tidying up. You can think of other creative ways of how to turn all sorts of other things you don’t like doing into games.
Make tidying up into some kind of game.
Put it off.
Convince your mother to do it for you.
Which is the hardest to do?
The correct answer is (c). It’s hardest to take action and do the things that need doing. If, for example, you decide to improve your grades in math (decision), and you think that the best way for you to do that is by having extra coaching through private lessons (planning), the hardest thing to do is actually to book your first lesson with a teacher, and then to open your text book and start solving math problems (taking action).
To decide to do something
To plan what you are going to do.
To do it.