Walk the Walk We Talk

Actions are the follow-through for the words we speak. Without actions our words are meaningless. Without our actions, we are hypocrites to what our words say. Any plan without action is simply imagination. Actions in our lives are what help bring any dream, idea, or goal we have to life. Anytime we talk the talk, we have a duty to walk the walk.

Talking and walking are very different things. I have previously written about the importance of just starting, the need for a plan, and the paradox of the saying, “If I had time.” All of these topics relate to action or inaction at their core. Action is very different than inaction. One means we do while the other means we don’t. With walking the walk we talk there is also the same black and white filter that can be applied. Either we are backing up what our words say or we are not.

Walking the walk is very simple because we either do or we don’t. Our word is used to build personal credibility. When we go against our word by not walking the walk we said we would, we are unreliable and not trustworthy. If we cannot trust ourselves to follow through with our commitments, how can others?

The perception others have of us is created by the words we say and the actions that follow. People will gravitate towards us and respect us if they can hold our words to be true at face value. The ability to say we will act and then follow through is a powerful characteristic to have. More leaders are formed through talking and action compared to just talking. In this sense we are unable to hide behind saying that we would have acted if we had time because the reality is, we said we would act and we did not. We do not want to be known as someone who cries wolf or hides behind “should haves.” We want to be known as someone who is determined to back up the words we say. When we talk, we must walk.