Ever hear the adage “knowledge is power?” Unfortunately, like so many other modern day myths, this one isn’t true either. While it is true that knowledge is a source of power, the reality is only knowledge APPLIED is powerful. It’s not what we know that counts, it’s what we do with what you know that really matters. You and I live in the Information Age. There’s more information around today than there has ever been on any topic you can imagine. Not only is information available, it’s at our fingertips via the Internet. The Web contains information you can use for improving every aspect of your life. I don’t know about you, but I have yet to stump Google or Yahoo.

With all the information available to us today and with increasing educational levels, you would think we’d connect the dots between knowledge and application. Ah, but such is not the case. Why the disconnect? Because we’ve come to believe that learning and collecting information are one and the same. The reality, however, is we must take what we’ve learned and translate it into meaningful actions. It’s not what you know, it’s what you do with what you know that matters.

Doris Lessing, a novelist and playwright of the last century, once said:” What matters most is what we learn from living.” Life is a great teacher, if we do something with what we learn.

If you’re familiar with my six-step process for improving performance and productivity, you know that the last of the six steps is ACTION, or what I refer to as STRATEGIC DECISIONS.

While taking action is critical to being a person of success and achievement, I’m not talking about just doing something for the sake of doing it. I’m talking about doing those things that matter most – and doing them first! Here are some thoughts on taking action you might find helpful:

1. Develop the habit of being action oriented. Don’t think about finishing the project or getting the degree, finish the project and get the degree!

2. Get creative in figuring out fun or interesting ways to take on an important project. Make a game out of it or offer yourself a nice reward when the project’s finished.

3. Make a habit of breaking down projects into tasks that can be completed in a relatively short time. Our attention spans aren’t very long – sad but true, so deal with it and break the task down into doable 15-20 minute segments.

4. Use worst case scenario thinking to stimulate action. You’ll end up there anyway if you don’t get the project finished or earn the degree.

5. Do the hard stuff first. Once you get that out of the way, you’re on the downhill slide.

6. Use momentum to your advantage. Once you get going on a task, stick with it until it’s finished.

Remember, it’s not what you know that matters, it’s what you DO with what you know that really counts. Success and achievement are about DOING, not DREAMING.