We’ve all been there. You’re at a coffee shop with a friend, passionately describing your next big project, your fitness goals, or that business idea you’ve been “working on” for months. You sound convincing, motivated, ready to take on the world. But then Monday rolls around, and… nothing happens.
Sound familiar?
The Talk Trap
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most of us are really good at talking about what we want to do. We can paint vivid pictures of our future selves, outline detailed plans, and get others (and ourselves) genuinely excited about our potential. But when it comes to actually doing the work? That’s where things get messy.
There’s something seductive about talking about our goals. It gives us a hit of satisfaction without requiring the messy, uncomfortable work of actually pursuing them. We feel productive just by discussing our plans, even when we haven’t taken a single concrete step forward.
When Words Become Self-Sabotage
The problem with being all talk and no action goes deeper than just not achieving our goals. When we consistently fail to follow through on what we say we’ll do, we start to lose faith in ourselves. Our own words begin to feel empty, even to us.
Think about it: how many times have you told yourself (or others) that you were going to do something, only to find yourself in the exact same place weeks or months later? Each time this happens, you’re essentially training yourself not to trust your own commitments.
This creates a vicious cycle where your words carry less weight—both to others and to yourself.
The Reality Check Exercise
Here’s a simple but potentially eye-opening exercise: for one week, pay attention to what you say versus what you actually do.
- What goals are you talking about?
- What commitments are you making?
- What version of yourself are you describing to others?
Then honestly assess: are your daily actions moving you toward these things, or are you just running in place while talking a good game?
Sometimes you’ll discover that your actions haven’t caught up with your words—you’re talking about being a writer but haven’t written anything in months. Other times, you might realize your words don’t reflect what you’re actually doing—you’re calling yourself lazy while consistently showing up and doing the work.
Closing the Gap
The magic happens when your words and actions start to align. This doesn’t mean you have to be perfect or never talk about future plans. It means being more intentional about both what you say and what you do.
If you’re going to talk about it, do something about it. Even small steps count. Want to write a book? Write for 15 minutes today. Dreaming of starting a business? Research one aspect of your idea this week.
If you’re going to do it, own it. Sometimes we’re doing more than we give ourselves credit for, but we’re not acknowledging it in how we talk about ourselves.
The Power of Alignment
When your words and actions line up, something shifts. You start to trust yourself more. Others begin to see you as someone who follows through. Most importantly, you become someone who actually brings ideas into reality instead of just talking about them.
Your words have weight, but your actions give them substance. The combination of both, working together, is where real change happens.
So the question is: what are you going to stop talking about and start doing today?
