The "MIA Strategy": How I 5X'd My Productivity (And You Can Too)

The MIA Strategy: How I 5X'd My Productivity (And You Can Too)

Back in the mid-2000s, I stumbled across a principle that multiplied my productivity fivefold.

Not a planner.

Not a fancy app.

Not a productivity guru with a headset mic and a whiteboard addiction.

Just one idea:

Massive Imperfect Action.

Let me explain.

I was a chronic over-thinker.

I had a spiritual gift for researching things I never actually wound up doing.

Projects? Half-finished.

Ideas? Brilliant—but collecting dust.

Then I heard someone say, “You can’t steer a parked car.”

And it hit me.

Starting badly > Waiting forever.

So I started.

Clunky.

Cringy.

Messy.

But I got moving—and everything changed.

What is Massive Imperfect Action?

It’s exactly what it sounds like.

Big steps
Done fast
Without waiting on perfect conditions

You don’t need more clarity.

You need more movement.

It's how I learned to run Facebook ads.

It's how I learned to preach (before I went to seminary).

Heck... it's how I learn to walk.

And here’s the kicker:

Action creates clarity.

(This has even been validated in studies—like Dr. Timothy Pychyl’s research showing action is the antidote to procrastination.)

Why Pastors Struggle With This

Let’s name the 3-piece suit of resistance:

1. Perfectionism Dressed as Excellence
“I just want it to be done right.”

Translation: You’re afraid of looking dumb.

2. Overplanning Paralysis
You’ve got 27 sticky notes, a color-coded Trello board, and a blank screen.

It's comfortable staying right here. (That's the problem.)

3. Spiritual Procrastination
“I’m just waiting on confirmation…”

Brother, sometimes God is waiting on you to move.

3 Ways to MIA Your Way Forward This Week

Let’s get practical:

1. Launch Ugly
Write the post. Send the email. Record the video. Start the project.

Let it be awkward.

People forget perfection.

They remember momentum.

Harvard Business Review found that rapid iteration leads to better outcomes than meticulous pre-launch planning.

2. Set a 15-Minute “Go” Timer
Motivation is unreliable.
Momentum isn’t.

Start small.

15 minutes.

That’s it.

Most times, once you start, you keep going.

3. Break One Egg a Day
You don’t need to make the whole omelet at once.

Just break an egg.

Every day.

One imperfect action compounds into unstoppable progress.

Closing Charge

Stop praying for a Red Sea moment when all you need is a step in the water.

You’re not Moses.

You’re Joshua now.

Take the step.

Watch the river part.

Then walk forward like a man who knows he was never meant to wander.

More Resources To Help You Optimize

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