Much has been written about writing down goals and regularly reviewing and updating them, and there's no doubt these are necessary steps for achievement and success. Likewise, it is considered that a plan for the achievement of any goal, and breaking major goals into manageable steps are essential.

If you are thinking of starting a new business, or any major undertaking, thorough research is certainly required. It is also unlikely that any new businesses will get far without a well written and researched business plan, and the chances of raising money from a bank without one are probably zero.

However, it is possible to spend too much time in preparation, writing and rewriting, researching and exploring, or waiting for everything to be just right. This is actually a common form of procrastination. There's one thing that you can rely on - conditions will never be just right! If you look hard enough, it will always be possible to find one or more reasons why you can't start something at any time.

Fear of the unknown can also stop us from acting, as can resistance to change. We all experience these emotions to some degree, and the reality is that it's usually easier and safer to do nothing new and take no chances.

But this is not the way to grow and develop as a person. It's almost always better to do something rather than doing nothing.

Taking the first step is usually the hardest thing to do, particularly when embarking on something unfamiliar.

If you have an idea, or something you'd like to try, there's a definite right time to act, and that time is when the idea is hot in your mind and your emotions are strong.

You should take action as soon as possible, no matter how small a step, before the feeling passes or the emotion fades.

Starting something gets us into the habit of taking action and builds momentum. Before you know it you'll have achieved more than you thought possible.

It's simply not good enough to 'intend' to do something. If you don't take action pretty quickly, your interest will diminish and before you know it, your idea will be little more than a distant memory. To achieve anything, you must convert intention into action.

Even if it later turns out to be the wrong course of action, you can always make revisions or corrections, or even start again if necessary. Blindly sticking to the path taken, no matter what, often isn't the best move. You need to be prepared to stand back, review your progress, and be flexible enough to change your direction if necessary. Even if you try something and it turns out that it doesn't work out as well as we thought it would, so what?

There's usually no shortage of people ready to say 'I told you so' or criticize you for trying anything different or new. Trying nothing new is easy. Staying in your comfort zone and taking no risks is easy. Being an armchair critic who seems to know everything but actually does nothing is easy.

But you'll be a stronger person for trying. There's absolutely no doubt that it's better to try something and fail, than to try nothing and succeed. It takes courage and guts to try new things and take risks, and to be prepared to stand up and be counted, but this is how we grow and develop as individuals, and how we progress to bigger and better things.

The same principals apply no matter what you're undertaking. It doesn't matter if you're thinking about learning to speak a foreign language or to dance the tango, or leaving your secure, well paid job and setting up your own company - you still have to take action to actually achieve anything and get results.

If you want to learn a new skill you may want to shop around and look into the various options available. If you want to start your own business, there's no doubt you have to do your research and have a pretty good idea that you will succeed first.

But eventually, we all have to take the plunge and act! Good intentions and the best laid plans mean nothing - without taking action none of us will every achieve anything!

"As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do." - Andrew Carnegie