In the cycle of change, which option best describes the stage labeled as Action?

• A. Preparation
• B. Maintenance
• C. Action
• D. Contemplation

Answer: (C)

The stage where active change is happening is about doing the new behavior in real life. It’s when the person has moved from planning and thinking about change into actually performing the new actions and routines consistently. For example, starting an exercise program and sticking with it, taking a new medication as prescribed, or quitting smoking by not lighting up.

This is different from contemplation, which is just weighing options and deciding whether to change; and from preparation, which is making concrete plans and getting ready but not yet acting. It’s also different from maintenance, which focuses on keeping the new behavior going over a longer period and preventing relapse. So, the stage described as Action is the one where the behavior change is actively being enacted.