Five Ways to Tell If You're Stuck in Motion, Not Action

At the end of the day, do you ever look back and feel like you didn’t make any real progress? Or maybe you hear yourself or others saying, “I’m working so hard, but I never seem to get anywhere.” If so, you’re not alone. I’ve been there, and so have many of the business owners I’ve coached. We’re putting in all the effort, but we’re stuck in what James Clear, in his book Atomic Habits, calls motion versus action.

Motion is all about planning, preparing, and organizing. It feels productive, but it’s not what actually moves the needle. Action, on the other hand, is where the magic happens. It’s the doing—the tasks that directly contribute to your goals. Organizing your schedule? That’s motion. Calling a client or delivering a service? That’s action.

Sometimes, motion disguises itself as progress. It feels good to check boxes, shuffle tasks around, or say yes to everything. We get caught up in busyness and mistake it for productivity, but all we’re really doing is managing chaos.

So how do you know if you’re spinning in circles rather than actually moving forward? Here are five ways to identify if you’re stuck in motion instead of taking action while working in your business, along with tips to get back on track.

1. You’re Constantly Planning but Rarely Executing

Motion: You’ve created a to-do list, reworked it five times, and have spreadsheets full of potential ideas. But the list is still untouched.

Action: You’ve chosen one task, set a deadline, and completed it.

How to Break Free: Oh, perfectionism… my old frenemy. Let me introduce you to the “Good Enough” Rule. This one took me a while to embrace because, like you, I want everything to look professional and flawless. But here’s the hard truth: perfection isn’t just overrated; it’s a chaos creator. Accept that your first draft of anything—a post, a pitch, or even your logo—is good enough. You can always refine later. Done is better than perfect because done actually gets you somewhere. Let me let you in on a little secret: auditing my task list is something I do every single day. It’s not glamorous, but it’s how I keep myself out of the quicksand of planning and into the land of doing. Grab that to-do list and ask yourself, “Which of these tasks actually move me forward?” If it doesn’t, kick it off the list or save it for later. Then, pick one actionable step and get it done today. Planning is great, but execution is where the magic happens.

2. You’re Busy with Low-Impact Tasks

Motion: You spend hours perfecting a single social media post or designing your business cards for the tenth time this week.

Action: You post the content as-is and move on to contacting a new client or completing a paid project.

How to Break Free: Oh, perfectionism… my old frenemy. Let me introduce you to the “Good Enough” Rule. This one took me a while to embrace because, like you, I want everything to look professional and flawless. But here’s the hard truth: perfection isn’t just overrated; it’s a chaos creator. Accept that your first draft of anything—a post, a pitch, or even your logo—is good enough. You can always refine later. Done is better than perfect because done actually gets you somewhere.

3. You’re Overwhelmed by Saying Yes to Everything

Motion: You’ve joined every networking group, signed up for every course, and attend every event, hoping one will give you the breakthrough you need.

Action: You’ve selected a few key opportunities that align with your business goals and committed to them fully.

How to Break Free: Alright, multitaskers, it’s challenge time. Think you’re good at juggling all the things? Try this: grab a piece of paper and write the alphabet while counting to 26 out loud. Not so smooth, is it? Multitasking makes us feel productive, but it’s often a sneaky way of doing a lot of things poorly. Instead, focus on one high-impact task at a time. Create a “Stop Doing” list and say no to anything that doesn’t serve your goals. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later.

4. You’re Caught in Analysis Paralysis

Motion: You’re researching every tool, reading every blog, and asking everyone’s opinion, but you’re still unsure of the next step.

Action: You’ve picked one tool, implemented it, and adjusted based on real-world results.

How to Break Free: Get here for the Eisenhower Matrix! Seriously, it’s a game changer. Divide your tasks into four quadrants: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither urgent nor important. Then focus all your energy on what’s both urgent and important. It’s like decluttering your brain and giving yourself permission to stop obsessing over the small stuff. Decision fatigue is real—simplify your choices and get moving.

5. You’re Always Reacting Instead of Proactively Creating

Motion: Your day is spent answering emails, putting out fires, and responding to every request that comes your way.

Action: You’ve set aside blocks of time to focus on high-value activities, like delivering your product or service.

How to Break Free: Acknowledging your wins is so important, y’all. When you’re constantly reacting to life, it’s easy to miss how far you’ve come. Take five minutes at the end of every day to jot down three things you accomplished. Big or small, it doesn’t matter. This simple habit will shift your mindset from “I’m just putting out fires” to “Wow, I’m actually making progress.” And when you start seeing those wins pile up? That’s when the magic happens.

The Power of Small Wins

When you’re working in your business, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of things you could be doing. That’s why focusing on action over motion is so critical. Every small win—a completed task, a happy client, a first sale—creates momentum. And momentum is the antidote to chaos.

For example, one of my clients had been in motion for months. She was working on the perfect social media strategy, but her Instagram page had zero posts. I challenged her to stop planning and publish one post by the end of the day. She hesitated but agreed. That single post led to engagement, which inspired her to post again the next day. Within weeks, she’d built a consistent content schedule and started attracting clients.

Recognizing Chaos

Motion can also be a coping mechanism. Sometimes, we stay busy to avoid the discomfort of taking real risks. Working in your business can be scary. What if you fail? What if you succeed and can’t keep up? Motion feels safe because it creates the illusion of progress without the vulnerability of putting yourself out there.

If you recognize this in yourself, don’t beat yourself up. Awareness is the first step. Here’s what you can do next:

1. Acknowledge Your Fear: Write down what you’re afraid of. Seeing it on paper often reduces its power.
2. Take One Bold Step: Whether it’s delivering a project or pitching a client, do something that scares you. Courage grows with action.
3. Celebrate Your Efforts: Every time you choose action over motion, give yourself credit. Progress is worth celebrating.

Tools to Help You Shift from Motion to Action

If you’re ready to break free from the cycle of chaos, these tools can help:

• Pomodoro Technique: Work in focused 25-minute intervals to stay productive and avoid getting lost in low-impact tasks.
• Trello or Asana: Use these project management tools to organize tasks and set deadlines.
• Accountability Partners: Share your goals with someone who will hold you accountable for taking actionable steps.
• Journaling: Reflect daily on what you achieved and what’s next. This helps you stay aligned with your bigger goals.

Final Thoughts

Working in your business is one of the most rewarding yet challenging journeys you can undertake. It’s easy to get caught up in motion, but real progress comes from action. By identifying the signs of chaos and taking steps to shift your focus, you can move mountains—not just manage them.

So, where are you stuck? Are you caught in the safety of motion, or are you ready to step into the discomfort of action? If you’re looking for an accountability partner to help you stay focused on your plan and goals, Dream Doula is here for you. Let’s work together to turn your vision into reality—one actionable step at a time. The mountains aren’t as insurmountable as they seem—you just need to start climbing.