re I get started let me just mention to make sure you listen until the end because I’m going to start sharing some key takeaways from each episode and some action steps you can take.  As I’ve created with the one-of-a-kind Smarter Accountant Podcast Guide, I want to help you apply what you’re learning in each of these episodes.

Today I want to talk about the reason you aren’t taking action.  I think this topic is incredibly important for accountants because we often have a lot to do and not enough time to do it.

See if you can relate to this – you’re unable to take action despite having a laundry list of things you want to accomplish – believe me, I know the feeling all too well. 

It’s like having a mental to-do list a mile long, but when it comes down to actually getting things done, you just can’t seem to find the motivation.

In our line of work as accountants, we’re no strangers to meticulous planning and attention to detail. But just because we’re good at planning doesn’t mean we’re good at executing the plan.

In other words, having a plan of action is great, but when you’re not actually taking action, then you’ve got a problem.  Maybe you’ve found yourself asking, “Why can’t I make progress? Why do I keep procrastinating? Why do I feel stuck?”

I’ve worked with many accountants in The Smarter Accountant Time Management Program on the topic of procrastination so don’t feel like you’re the only one.  I’ve been there, done that as well, and I’ve got some insights to share with you. 

I discuss the powerful tool called The Model in my book, “The Smarter Accountant,” but I want to tell you that it’s been a game-changer for me and my clients. The Model is a formula that helps you to understand why you’re not taking action and, more importantly, how you can change that.

Now, before I dive into the nitty-gritty details of The Model, let me reiterate that you are not alone if you’ve been having difficulty taking action.  Again, this is something I work on with my coaching clients every single day.

I’ve worked with many accountants who feel frustrated because of their inability to take action. It’s a common struggle that many of us face, but the good news is that there’s a way out.

What is that way out?  Understanding The Model.  The basic premise is that there are circumstances in our lives that we can’t control, but everything else—our thoughts, feelings, actions, and results—is within our control.  

The Model is an awareness tool and understanding how to utilize it is a game-changer.  It’s a shift in perspective that helps us to see what’s getting in the way of us taking action.  

I’ll explain more in a minute, but for now, just know that our thoughts have a profound impact on our feelings, which in turn influence our actions and inactions. It’s a domino effect that can either move us forward or keep us stuck. 

The key is that once we understand the powerful role our thoughts play, we can start to take control of them and steer our lives in the direction we want to go.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But how do I even begin to unravel the tangled mess of thoughts swirling around in my head?” Trust me, I’ve been there. It’s not easy, but it’s absolutely doable. 

With practice and patience, you can learn to observe your own thinking patterns with compassion and curiosity, rather than judgment and criticism.

Understanding The Tool, The Model

Alright, now I’m going to explain The Model a little more.  Think of it as our roadmap to understanding why we do what we do and how we can make positive changes in our lives.

The first line of The Model is the circumstance line.  These are the things in our lives that we simply can’t control—like the weather, other people’s actions, or even our past experiences.

For accountants, it’s things like the amount of work we have, the time of year, what a client did or didn’t do, and what other people say.  Circumstances are the external factors that we have to deal with, whether we like it or not.

The second line of The Model is the thought line. Thoughts are the sentences in our heads that we are have, both consciously and unconsciously. Our thoughts have a huge impact on how we perceive the world around us and how we feel about it.

The third line of The Model is the feeling line.  Our feelings are the one word emotions we experience that are only ever created by our thoughts. 

Whether it’s stress, excitement, frustration, or overwhelm, our feelings play a huge role in shaping our behavior.  In other words, what we do or don’t do is 100% dependent on our feelings.

And speaking of behavior, that brings us to the fourth line of The Model which is the action line.  The action line is made up of all the things we do—or don’t do—as a result of our thoughts and feelings. 

Whether it’s hitting the gym, procrastinating on a project, or reaching out to a client, our actions are driven by our feelings.

The final line of The Model is the result line.  These are the outcomes that we create based on our actions and inactions. 

Whether it’s achieving our goals, building relationships, or making progress in our careers, the results we see in our lives are a direct reflection of the actions we take—or don’t take.

Now, here’s why The Model is so helpful – because while we may not be able to control our circumstances, we have full control over our thoughts, feelings, and actions. That’s where the real power lies. 

When we recognize what’s within our control and what isn’t, we can start to take charge of our lives and make positive changes that stick. It’s all about understanding the dynamics at play and leveraging them.

Thoughts Create Feelings, Feelings Drive Actions

Alright, now let’s take a closer look at the connection between our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Trust me, it’s worth understanding, especially for accountants.

Here’s the thing: every action we take—whether it’s hitting the “send” button on an email, completing a spreadsheet, or even just grabbing a cup of coffee—is fueled by a feeling. And every feeling we have is only ever because of a thought.

Remember, the circumstance line of The Model is first and it’s all the neutral facts of our lives.  Next are our thoughts, the sentences in our brains that give meaning to our circumstances.

After the thought line is the feeling line.  These are the one word emotions created by our thoughts.

And after the feeling line of The Model is our actions; the things we do or don’t do.  The reason you aren’t taking action is all there in The Model.

For example, let’s say you’re faced with a daunting task at work, like a complicated tax return or compiling a complex set of financials. Just the thought of tackling it might trigger feelings of overwhelm or anxiety. 

And what do you do in response? You’d probably procrastinate, avoid the task altogether, or do something easier to stay busy.  

I see this all the time with my clients.  They’ll tell me they were so busy but didn’t seem to get the thing they really needed to get done, done.

Again, as accountants, we’re really good at creating a plan, but that doesn’t guarantee that we follow through on the plan.  In fact, it’s one of the key elements in The Smarter Accountant Time Management Program – learning how to follow through no matter what – and why I have an entire mini-training on how to conquer procrastination, once and for all.

Let me give you another example – let’s say you’ve got your long to-do list, you know everything that needs to get done and you’ve even numbered things in order to prioritize.  You look at the next item you’re about to work on and you think, “This is going to be tough to figure out” or “I don’t know if I can do this.” 

And boom, just like that, you’re hit with feelings of uncertainty or frustration. So, what happens next?  You’ll most likely put off tackling the problem and either find something on the to-do list that’s easier to do or you’ll gravitate towards something like checking email.  

The point is, our thoughts create our feelings, which in turn influence the actions we take—or don’t take—in our professional lives. It’s like a chain reaction that starts in our minds and ripples out into our actions and the results we see.

So, if you’re struggling with taking action, it’s not because there’s anything wrong with you.  You just have an unmanaged brain that is thinking unhelpful thoughts that lead to unhelpful feelings.  

By understanding the power of our thoughts and their ripple effects on our feelings and actions, we can become more intentional in how we approach our work.

The Practice of Observing Your Own Thinking

Now, let’s talk about a crucial skill that’s essential for mastering The Model: observing our own thinking. The issue is that we have 60,000 thoughts a day!

Trying to make sense of them all can feel like trying to untangle a giant ball of yarn.

But thankfully, there’s a tool that can help us cut through the noise and gain clarity: awareness. By practicing awareness, we can learn to observe our thoughts with curiosity and non-judgmental awareness.

What I mean by non-judgmental awareness is that you just want to pay attention to your thoughts without beating yourself up for having them.  This is important because it can be a bit shocking when you really pay attention to your thoughts and how negative and scattered they can be.

Now, I know what you might be thinking: “I’m an accountant. This is not really my cup of tea.” And, I get it. Initially, it wasn’t mine either.

Paying attention to our thoughts can be a real challenge, especially for us busy accountants who thrive on action and productivity.

But here’s the thing: awareness isn’t time consuming. It’s about simply being aware of what you’re thinking and feeling.  

In fact, the homework my clients do takes 10 – 15 minutes every day.  That’s it.  And the results are remarkable.

By becoming more aware of our own thinking, we can begin to understand what’s happening when we aren’t taking action, and also what to do about it.  

Identifying Common Reasons Accountants Aren’t Taking Action

So now I want to shine a light on some thought patterns that often hold us back in the accounting world – perfectionism, comparison, and fear.  There are many more, but it’s important to understand that these ways of thinking are sneaky because we’re not only taught how to think as accountants, we also have plenty of other accountants thinking the same way we do, so we normalize it.

But thankfully, with a little awareness, we can start to do something about some of these unhelpful thought patterns.

Let’s start with the perfectionism trap. As accountants, we’re no strangers to high standards and attention to detail. But when that desire for perfection becomes our default, it can paralyze us. 

For example, you spend hours agonizing over every decimal point, afraid to submit that report until it’s absolutely flawless. You begin to feel anxiety, overwhelm, or maybe even imposter syndrome. 

And what happens next? Procrastination sets in, and that report gathers dust on our desk.

I’ve worked with accountants who took hours and hours trying to find the penny difference in a complicated bank reconciliation.  Next thing they knew, they were procrastinating working on it the following month.

The next common thought pattern that we have in accounting is the comparison game.  In the smart world of accounting, where so many smart people are doing smart things, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to our peers. 

For example, we see someone else’s impressive career on LinkedIn or a new certification someone achieved, and suddenly, we’re hit with feelings of inadequacy or envy because we’re thinking something like, “I’ll never measure up.” And before we know it, those feelings of doubt and insecurity lead to inaction—we hesitate to set goals or pursue new opportunities, fearing we’ll fall short.

I’ve seen this a lot with my coaching clients.  They’ll feel like they don’t measure up and then stop themselves from setting and achieving career goals.

The third common thought pattern is the fear of failure. As accountants, we’re trained to mitigate risk and avoid mistakes at all costs. But when that fear of failure becomes all-consuming, it can paralyze us. 

For example, we’d rather stick to the familiar, the safe, the tried-and-true, even if it means missing out on growth opportunities. We tell ourselves, “What’s the point of trying if I’m just going to fail anyway?” And so, we stay stuck in our comfort zone, unwilling to take the leap.

I’ve coached many accountants who’ve had the dream of going out on their own but years later, they’re still at the same job, miserable as ever.

It’s important to understand that each of these common thought patterns—perfectionism, comparison, fear of failure—leads to specific feelings, which in turn drive our actions and especially our inactions. 

Thankfully, when we understand the why behind our thoughts we can begin to rewrite the script and take meaningful action in our lives. 

Becoming a Smarter Accountant: Examples Of Taking Action

Now let me share how a few clients learned how to overcome the reason why they weren’t taking action.  

One of my clients had always dreamed of starting her own financial consulting business, however, she was gripped by fear of failure. She worried about not being able to attract clients, make enough money, or sustain her business in the long run. 

Unfortunately, this fear paralyzed her.  She wanted to stay in her comfort zone and stick with her steady but unfulfilling corporate job.

After becoming a Smarter Accountant, she reframed her mindset, viewing failure as a natural part of the learning process rather than a reflection of her worth. We worked on her taking small, calculated risks and gradually building confidence.

Within a short period of time, she launched her successful consulting business.  She said that now she understands the reason why she isn’t taking action, but also what to do about it.

Another client was asked to lead an audit for a major client, and as the deadline got closer, he felt overwhelmed by the magnitude of the project. He felt anxious about making mistakes, missing crucial details, or disappointing his team and clients, which left him paralyzed, unable to focus or make progress on the audit.

After working together, he recognized the impact of his anxiety on his productivity, he got clear on the thoughts causing him to feel stressed and regained control. He effectively planned his time and followed the plan, eventually leading to the successful completion of the audit.

He used that experience as an example of what happens when he feels anxious, but also how to override the thoughts causing the feeling of anxiety.  He’s now much better at taking action, no matter what.

One client was a tax CPA and was assigned a complex tax project with a tight deadline. As he reviewed the work to be done, he kept thinking, “This is too much.  I’ll never have the time to complete this,” which led him to feel overwhelmed and unsure where to start and how to proceed.

We decided that since overwhelm was never going to lead him to take action, the feeling of determined was going to be much more useful.  From the feeling of determined, he prioritized tasks, allocated specific time blocks for each part of the project, regained a sense of control and clarity, and finished the project on time.

After seeing how much more he got done when he felt determined, he decided that that would be one his go-to emotions at work.  He just needed to pay attention to his thoughts and choose ones that created the feeling of determined.  

Hopefully, you can see how overcoming the common feelings that lead to inaction can help you take action when you need to or want to.  The truth is that the reason you aren’t taking action is because of an unhelpful feeling.

As I tell my coaching clients, when you learn how to manage your mind you can manage everything else.  The bottom line: if you want to take effective action, you need to manage your thoughts and feelings first and foremost.   

Key Takeaway and Action Item

If you find yourself struggling to take action, remember that it’s not about a lack of motivation or willpower—it’s about understanding the powerful connection between your thoughts, feelings, and actions. Our thoughts create our feelings, which drive our actions. 

Ask yourself, “What unhelpful thought patterns might be holding me back from taking action, and how can I reframe them to move forward?”

By recognizing and managing unhelpful thought patterns like perfectionism, comparison, and fear of failure, you can shift your mindset and start taking meaningful action. Practicing awareness, observing your thoughts without judgment, and consciously choosing thoughts that lead to productive feelings can transform your approach to tasks and goals. 

Take control of your thoughts, and you’ll take control of your actions, paving the way for a more effective and fulfilling accounting career.

Well, that’s what I have for you.  Thank you for joining me as I discussed the reason you aren’t taking action.  As always, I hope you’ve gained valuable insights and practical tools.

If you are struggling with any aspect of being an accountant, you can simply go to www.thesmarteraccountant.com/calendar and book a free session with me.

As I tell accountants all the time, you worked hard to become an accountant; it’s time to make it easier to be one.  That starts with taking The Smarter Accountant Quiz at  www.thesmarteraccountant.com. 

You’re going to want to know if you’ve been underutilizing your accountant brain so that you have a starting point for becoming a Smarter Accountant.

Also, I would appreciate it if you could get the word out to other accountants about this podcast.  The more accountants find out about it, the more we can begin to change the narrative in the accounting profession.

The truth is that you’re already smart, but this podcast will show you how to be smarter.