Most people think of impulsiveness as being completely negative, probably because they associate impulses with unhelpful behaviors like impulse purchases or unhealthy snacking. I see impulsiveness as the trait of someone who takes action the minute they feel like doing something.
While that can be dangerous, it’s can also be a useful counter to overthinking and procrastination, especially for those who fear doing anything without waiting for permission.
There’s only one key to making impulsive living work for you: knowing if an impulse is healthy.
You want to train yourself to instantly recognize whether an impulse is good for you and only act on those that are. By doing this upfront training, you can harvest the benefits of impulsiveness and mitigate the negative effects.
After all, I’m afraid that our hyper-logical approach to life cuts us off from the very energy and enthusiasm that makes life enjoyable and exciting. I think it’s time to push back against this a bit and embrace a potentially riskier, but more rewarding, way of being.
Remember, it’s not about giving in to every single impulse, but rather, taking immediate action the very second you have a positive one. Every second you wait is moving you one step away from the kind of person you want to be.
How to Be Impulsive in a Good Way
Below are some areas of life that I’m actively looking for positive impulses to act on, and maybe you’d like to as well. Don’t wait, and say you’ll add them to your list, or get to them tomorrow–just do it now! Use the momentum that you have from just thinking of the idea and let it propel you straight into action.
Helping a Person in Need
How many times do you see someone struggling to lift something, or maybe looking lost, or wrestling with life in any way, and yet you sheepishly look the other way? I say, the second you think you should do something, you don’t think again–you just go and help. Imagine how much better our world could be if we all acted on these impulses that we all feel from time to time.
Expressing Your Appreciation Towards Someone
Throughout the day it’s common for me to think something kind about someone or a way that I admire them, but I keep it to myself. But why? Surely a thought like that or a moment of gratitude should be shared, and can only be a source of encouragement to the other person. And perhaps it will draw you closer as well. I think we should share these good thoughts impulsively with one another before our self-consciousness gets in the way.
Tackling a Task That Is on Your Mind
We all know how easy it is to give in to distractions like scrolling on our phone or daydreaming instead of being present where we are. But if you pay attention, there are times all throughout the day when you have quiet impulses to do something productive. Learn to jump on these, and they will multiply.
Calling a Friend or Scheduling a Time to Get Together
Don’t let your good intentions go to waste. There is nothing more valuable in this life than the richness of the connections we maintain with those we love. It doesn’t matter what else you’re doing, if you feel the desire to connect with someone either in person or on the phone, this is an impulse that is likely worth encouraging.
Taking a Positive Action Towards a Larger Goal
Dreams are great fun to have. We like to imagine the future to be better than the present. But those dreams—no matter how big or small they are—will never materialize without action. Instead of talking yourself out of these dreams and telling yourself to be more realistic, why not just take a big step toward that future? Use the excitement and positive vibes you feel in that moment to do something.
Choosing Healthy Food, or Exercising Your Body
I pretty much have a rule in my life that if I ever have an impulse to eat something healthy or go for a walk, I just do it. Health is a huge priority and doesn’t come easy for anyone, so why waste a single opportunity when the thing you want to do in that moment actually aligns with your long-term desires as well?
Having a Hard or Difficult Conversation
The longer you wait between recognizing the need for a tough conversation, and actually having it, the feeling of dread only grows larger. I find it’s best to jump into these situations the same way you’d jump into a cold pool–without hesitations or overthinking. Of course, you still want to handle the situation with grace and poise, but the actual decision to engage should be far more gut-based than it usually is, in my opinion.
Trying Something That Makes You Afraid
Finally, a lesson about fear that I’ve learned. The more you think or ruminate over something scary, the more vivid those scary feelings become. It literally does no good to stand still if you know you need or want to do this thing. I’m not talking about reckless things that might get you or others seriously hurt, but the 99 percent of other fears that we can easily recover from. In this way, we should all embrace the impulsive and fearless spirit of young children who are entirely shameless when it comes to failure.