Well, its time to get back to work here. Don't you hate it when life interferes with what you really want to do? OK, stupid question. Life is doing what you want and need to do. Sometimes, you just have to stop and get off the treadmill of others expectations and do the things you want and need to do. Thats what I have been doing the last few weeks. Living off line.

That's why I'm writing this. Living off-line. Reaching your potential, while living life to the fullest. Thats what personal and professional development is all about in the end anyway.

So the ultimate development personal program is about action and not really about creating the perfect personal development plan. Its about action! Doing things, not planning to do things. Many of us when working on developing ourselves spend a lot of time planning, reading, thinking and worrying. Time is wasted on all this and its equally wasteful counterpart, procrastination. Nothing gets done and you stay the way you are, with all kinds of plans and ideas about what you will do someday when you get to be when "you have made it".

What a load! You'll never make it unless you actually do something. If you are going to try reaching your potential, it will require not only study and planning, but DOING!

What is doing though? Doing in this area means acting. Do you want to meditate? Meditate. Do you need to meet people? Well, then meet people. Going to write a novel? Start writing. Don't think about it. Don't find reasons not to do these things. Because you never will. You'll never find the "perfect" thing or timing. And don't tell me or yourself you don't have the time, the money or the skills.

Doing doesn't always require great planning. Its requires a dedication and commitment. Anybody can take action. Just do a "Nike"... Just do it. What is keeping you from doing something you want to do?

Fear? Are you afraid of failure? Get over it. Most successful people have failed many time before they succeeded. Winston Churchill was viewed as a washed up loser, past his prime with nothing left to offer when WWII broke out.

No Money? Do you really need money? Many new businesses have been sold from an idea before anything real had been created. Not only did it work, But it allowed the creator to modify his ideas with real input from real customers. Saving money and time.

You lack skills you say? Oh my! Stop worrying and start doing it. The unskilled often create or do things that no one with so-called skills ever thought of doing in their area of expertise. No one thought the ipod would make it. It came from outsiders, in a market full of experts. There were many mp3 players already on the market. The Ipod change the landscape and the market. You can to!

If your not an insider, you can always become and insider. Or maybe you don't even need to become one. Sometimes the outsider has a better perspective.

You don't have time? The best one for anybody, isn't it? Find the time. Skip the TV shows, skip the romance novel, skip the gold outing with the buddies. Just do what os is you have always wanted to do. Find an excuse to do it, not to avoid doing it. Do a little or a lot. Just get started.

This blog is an example of both the things we don't do and the way to start doing it. At first, I had the idea. And it just sat there looking at me. Then I started making action plans for its development. Finally, I just decided to do it and am now working on it more every day. I have lots of plans for the site. But mostly, now I am working on it. Its getting done. I am finding my voice and the plan such as it it seems to be getting done.

All of our personal development plans are much like this. Whether it's meditation, fitness, diet or a new business. Yes, you do want to have an very good idea of where you are going. But don't plan to death. I think the phrase is paralysis through analysis. You can't keep waiting for the perfect time, the perfect plan or the the perfect anything. Life isn't perfect. So again... GET OVER IT!

Lets look at the smaller personal development actions you can take everyday. Things that one you do them, begin to build a foundation of real change. Actions you can take all day long.

If you are eating like crap. Just start eating a little better. Don't buy the candy bar. When you go to lunch get a burger and a salad. Skip the fries. Buy real food when you go to the store. Skip the chips this time. A little start, is a lot better than no start. Change your mindset. Its not things you are giving up, its eating things that will make your life better.

Can't seem to get get to the gym? Remember, you're paying for it. If you paid for something you might as well use it? Even once a week. Build it into your schedule somehow. Go before work for an hour. Before you get home. Because when you get home, there are things to do. Don't plan on hours and hours there every day. You can do a good workout in about an hour. Three times a week and you'll start feeling better and get interested in what you can do to make that little amount of time more effective for yourself.

Your relationship kinda sucks? Its your fault! So do something about it. Don't expect it to happen magically. Take the time to talk. Take the time to walk. Read a book and figure out what you can do. I'm sure if your relationship needs work. You both know it. And admitting it, will at least start the ball rolling.

You are a great procrastinator? Join the club. So am I. So I just make my mental lists and start doing what I can. Sometimes, I choose the easiest and get into the flow of things. Working my way up. Other times, I just choose the nastiest and hardest, just to get it out of the way.

Everyone has reasons for not doing what we should do. Thats just another way of saying excuse. Put the excuses aside and do something. Instead of making excuses, take action on your personal development plans.

I guess my point in all of this is simple. Not doing these things, is not living. Living is doing. Doing is living. Don't waste your time existing, excusing and avoiding. Action makes life worth living.

My will shall shape the future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice; my responsibility; win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny.

– Elaine Maxwell

The author is the owner of runningurlife.com a blog about life, living and reaching your potential. Check it out today for more articles to improve your body, mind and spirit. http://www.runningurlife.com