In a post from the archive, Mark Johnson describes a productivity obstacle that trips up many real estate managers. There is a difference between being in motion and taking action. They sound similar, but they’re not the same. When you’re in motion, you’re planning, strategizing, and learning. Those are all good things, but they don’t produce a result. Action, on the other hand, is the type of behavior that will deliver an outcome. As you might have guessed, most people prefer motion over action. Why? We prefer motion because it allows us to feel like we’re making progress without running the risk of failure or criticism. Fear of failure is a powerful force keeping many would-be high performers from finding success. The outward symptom is busyness, but the underlying cause is usually fear.