By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

I remember getting an email several years ago from a woman who had been in one of my programs. 

One of her goals was to launch a regular email newsletter (e-zine), and after a lot of preparation, writing, and technical machinations, she was finally ready. 

In her email she said, "I was shaking as I took the final step of pressing the button to send out my first e-zine to my list."

That may not sound like a big deal, but I want to acknowledge her and all the others who commit to a plan and take action - despite their fears and doubts. 

That's courage; that's boldness. 

In marketing every time we put something out there, an e-zine, a new website, a new promotion, there's a risk it won't work. 

Every time we follow-up with someone we just met at a networking event, there's a risk we might get rejected. 

As our marketing confidence grows and we implement bigger, more complex marketing strategies, that risk of failure and rejection are still there, looming as large as ever. 

But if we try to play it safe, wait for prospects to call us, avoid writing that controversial article, put off contacting conferences to give presentations, and keep delaying writing the first chapter of your book, something will happen worse than failure or rejection. 

Mediocrity. 

I've read many times that when it comes to the end of their lives, people rarely regret the things they've done, but the things they haven't done. 

As an Independent Professional, will you make a mark in the world that changes lives or will you just struggle to make the mortgage payment?

Will you take on a huge, impossible project that takes every ounce of intelligence, and resourcefulness you can muster or will you simply wait until circumstances are better? 

When will you do that thing you've always wanted to do but delayed because you didn't have enough education, money, connections, or a good enough economy?

Think, right now, what is that thing?

And if say, "I'll think about it," it's already too late. 

But if you know what it is, write it down and take just one small action in the direction of its fulfillment right this very minute. 

Or as our friend Goethe says:

"Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it."

Cheers, Robert

Please comment on this question: What is a bold action you took in your business where you may have been scared, but did it anyway? What changed for you in your business when you took this bold action?

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