According to Greek mythology, the goddess Pallas Athena was ‘birthed’ from the head of Zeus, skipping childhood to emerge as a fully formed, powerful goddess.
Wouldn’t it be nice if our decisions emerged like that—fully formed and ready to act upon? But in reality, most decisions grow slowly through a process called dominant thought.
Imagine you briefly consider changing jobs. At first, it’s a passing idea. Over time, you find yourself browsing LinkedIn, talking about job satisfaction with friends, and imagining what a new role might look like. One day, the idea consumes you: It’s time to act. This is how dominant thought works—starting as a whisper but eventually becoming an unstoppable force that drives action and overcomes hesitation.
You can harness this process to build a stronger bias for action. Start by recognizing those early thoughts—they’re signals of what matters to you. Then deliberately feed them: read, talk, and visualize. The more you nurture the thought, the faster it grows. Don’t wait for it to become overwhelming—take small, deliberate steps early.
Dominant thought is like an approaching train: distant at first, but inevitable if you pay attention. By embracing and guiding it, you can move from vague ideas to decisive action faster than you think.
What’s the thought quietly taking shape in your mind—and what will you do to turn it into action today?