What should be the starting point of goal-oriented action?

The starting point of any goal-oriented action should always be identifying the critical constraint in the system. This is the fundamental principle of the Theory of Constraints, and it's essential to avoid wasting time and resources on non-critical issues.

To begin, you must:

1. Clearly define your system and its goal. What exactly are you trying to achieve?

2. Use the Five Focusing Steps to identify the current constraint:
a) Identify the constraint
b) Exploit the constraint
c) Subordinate everything else to the constraint
d) Elevate the constraint
e) Repeat the process

3. Beware of jumping to solutions before thoroughly understanding the constraint. This is a common error that leads to ineffective action and wasted effort.

4. Avoid the temptation to multitask or address multiple issues simultaneously. This dilutes focus and reduces overall effectiveness.

5. Do not be swayed by surface-level symptoms or loud voices demanding attention to non-constraint issues. These are distractions that will not improve system performance.

6. Be prepared to challenge existing paradigms and policies that may be creating artificial constraints in your system.

Remember, any action not focused on the system's constraint is essentially wasted effort. By rigorously applying this constraint-focused approach, you can avoid the common pitfall of dispersing energy across non-critical areas, which often leads to minimal or no improvement in overall system performance.

Your goal should be to ruthlessly identify and exploit the constraint, subordinating all other considerations. Only by maintaining this laser focus can you hope to achieve meaningful progress towards your ultimate goal.