Ideas mean nothing without action

I would once spend too much time thinking about action. Whether it be when I am taking photos, writing, or at work, my mind tended to go into this state of deep thought when I faced with creative block, or a problem to solve.

What this often looked like is inaction. So much of my time was spent thinking about how I am going to tackle something, rather than actually facing the issue and putting in place a method to overcome it.

There are many different explanations for why this happens, and if you’re someone that often goes through this, then you know it is highly frustrating, and it often impacts your ability to progress (creatively and professionally). So what steps can you take to be a more positive, action-taking idealist?

What is an idealist?

Now before I get into this post, I am not saying that being an idealist is bad. However, my experience (and what research says) is that it can sometimes be difficult to make decisions, accepting the difference between planning and results, as well as displaying low tolerance.

An idealist often sees the world as it could be, rather than how a realist sees the world, as it is. This future-focused mindset can be a strength, which allows idealists to generate ideas and optimistically believe in possibilities that others might dismiss too quickly.

An idealist can find themselves stuck in endless loops of planning, imagining, and perfecting, often without taking tangible steps toward those dreams. It’s not that the idealism itself is wrong; it's that without action, ideas remain just ideas. In contrast, some with a more realist outlook may benefit from a more idealist thought process, which may lead to more creative problem solving and explorative working.

At its best, idealism inspires us to dream bigger and work towards something meaningful. At its worst, unchecked idealism can lead to frustration when life or our career doesn't align with the vision we’ve built in our heads. Understanding the strengths and the pitfalls of being an idealist is the first step toward using this mindset more positively and balancing it with deliberate action.

The power (and perils) of idealism

Being someone who generates ideas is often seen positively as the creative spark, or the problem solver, but what about when creating ideas takes over the ability to actually take action?

Reframing the idea of idealism is difficult, as it requires you to be exposed to more scenarios where you are required to act. Which will mean going through the stages of idea generation and creating action from these ideas (rather than not acting at all).

When it comes to taking ideas and putting them into action, idealists (like perfectionists) struggle to take the initial step towards tackling the issue, through fear of the action not being perfect. This often leads to problems going unsolved, which may lead to more significant long-term issues.

Where the most powerful idealists thrive is in challenging the typical method of thinking about problems and suggesting ideas that promote new ways of working. When paired with action-oriented individuals, you gain a powerful tandem of idealist creativity and realist-centric action.

How to break the idealism cycle

In the last six months, I have realised how being an idealist was holding me back from being my most productive (in the workplace and outside of work). Here are a few ways I have looked to tone down my idealist brain, pushing more towards action and productivity.

Ditch the ‘mental notes’

In a previous post, I highlighted the work of Tiago Forte and the concept of having a second brain. Our brains can only take in so much information (unless you’re one of those people with exceptional episodic memory who can remember what they had for breakfast seven years ago?!).  

Often when having conversations with people, a problem will be highlighted which needs solving. Previously, my idealist brain would run riot, however, I have made the conscious effort to note down the issue and any ideas I have in the moment to solve the issue, so I can tackle the problem.

This links into our hobbies, especially reading or writing. I feel like I’m terrible with remembering information I have gathered from books or from research articles, which is why I make a note when I find something interesting. Alternatively, bookmarking the page to return to at a later date, if you’re a book hoarder like me.

Where idealists struggle is with structure and the overwhelming nature of being faced with personal and professional problems. Having a bank of thoughts, ideas and learnings will help to create a barrier between idealist imagination and purposeful action to tackle this.

Take action now

The most important learning that has stuck with me from some of the self-help books I’ve read (Atomic Habits, Start with Why, Discipline is Destiny, Ikigai), is the emphasis on starting. Yes, just starting! When the thought of tackling a task or wanting to achieve something is so huge, the best thing you can do it make a start, however small the contribution may be that day.

When looking to start a hobby or learn something new, you might allocate fifteen minutes in the day to start. The key aspect of these minutes is that it’s devoid of distraction and it comes when you have maximal energy and concentration (maybe in the morning or before work). Most importantly, it has to work for you.

“Start with repetition, not perfection.” - James Clear in Atomic Habits

Ryan Holiday (stoic and author) advocates for acting at the earliest point in the day: when you first wake up, before going to work, or starting your day. Getting started early gives you that boost for the day and before the day has even begun, you have achieved something.

Give yourself constraints

Idealists thrive with idea generation and being adventurous with possibilities, but that same strength can become overwhelming, when constraints are not in place. When each idea feels equally important, it’s easy to fall into a cycle of endless planning and zero execution.

Introducing self-imposed constraints, like time limits, or restricting yourself to three ideas for a project, this can actually boost creativity and encourage working to tighter deadlines. When options are limited, it feels easier to make progress.

These constraints might even be location based (also known as context-dependent), where a commitment is made towards a hobby or goal every time you sit at your desk, or in a specific area in the house. For example, books might be positioned right next to the sofa, or bed, so each time you sit down, or get ready to sleep, you’ll have more of an incentive to read.  

Conclusions

While idealism still helps me to generate ideas, I would often find myself stuck in the thinking phase, paralysed by perfectionism and overwhelmed by possibilities. By placing constraints and acting sooner, the shift towards an idealist that values purposeful progression can take hold.

It is important to remember that progress doesn’t require perfect conditions, it just means starting. When surrounded by realists or action-takers, the idealist way of working will thrive, because vision paired with consisent action is what drives meaningful change.