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No? You’ve never set your mind to something, and moments or days or weeks later, realized you never finished? Your task list is always complete? You’ve never thought to yourself … “tomorrow”?
OK. So, I’m not the only one haunted by that pesky ghoul we call procrastination. While it’s seemingly so difficult to tame, maybe we can shine some light on the underlying issues to help end procrastination once and for all. Let’s “dispel” a few common procrastination myths, and see if we can’t take back control of our time, our passions, and our goals.
The “Perfectionist” Myth:
You’ve probably heard (or spoken) some of these phrases - “I’m a perfectionist and my harshest critic. If I can’t do it right, then I just can’t consider myself finished. That’s just the way I am, and if I don’t have everything just right, then I just have difficulty even starting.” This is the perfectionist mentality, and is often expressed by adding trivial tasks to your daily list like organizing the pantry instead of making that difficult phone call, or organizing files on the computer instead of focusing on an upcoming presentation … anything to delay the inevitable.
Translation:
The phrase, “I’m a perfectionist” can best be translated, “I’m afraid to fail.” In an attempt to hide our fear of failure, we clothe our timidity with something much more noble sounding - perfection. Simply, you’re manipulating a fault into a virtue, as if to say to those around us, “Yes, you may have accomplished great things, but you just don’t know what it’s like to be above all that.” Ultimately however, this fear of failure leads to a lack of direction and accomplishment.
Solution:
Contrary to popular belief, many things in life are not graded, and don’t necessitate over-analyzing. There’s no A+ or D-, they are simply pass/fail (a great example of this is returning phone calls … yes, while dialing the number correctly takes a certain degree of hand-eye coordination, it typically doesn’t take a great deal of thought or preparation). When it comes to these kind of tasks, identify them as such and then just get them done. It’s as simple as that. As we’ve all heard before, “Sometimes good enough is good enough”.
For the larger projects, Jim Rohn shares a refreshingly simple remedy. If you’re having trouble starting something, write it down. If you’re having trouble finishing something, break it down. The fear of failure loves confusion and complexity, and the best way to conquer that fear is to first determine the scope of your project or task, write it down, and then break it down into manageable pieces. Reduce the complexity to a single action you’re confident you can complete RIGHT NOW, and then do it. As you begin to take these simple steps toward your goal, momentum will develop, and before you know it, the procrastination goblin will seek residence elsewhere.
The “Over-Committed” Myth:
This has always been a favorite of mine. Often you may hear (or say), “Oh, I am just so over-committed, I don’t even have time to accomplish this or that. I seem to have over-committed once again. If you could only see my schedule.” Generally speaking, people who struggle with this ghostly terror wear their packed calendar like a badge of honor. They revel in the fact that they have the ability to say yes to everything thrown their way, but end up playing the martyr when it gets down to it. “Woe is me,” they cry, “the world has me over-committed again!”
Translation:
Here’s the skinny. And never forget this. If you are feeling over-committed, you are actually UNDER-committed. See, those that truly commit don’t allow distractions to fill up their valuable time. They have determined the areas of life most important to them and then guard them viciously. The need to commit to more than we can handle stems from fearing a lack of significance. We enjoy the fleeting feeling that comes from saying yes, but wallow in the guilt of not having the ability to play full out once we’ve committed.
Solution:
Know your goals and learn to say no. This is also one of the greatest time management tools available. If you know your goals, it makes it easy to say, “I’m sorry, I am already fully committed to something else, but I’m honored that you asked.” Write your goals out, and then write out your current commitments. I don’t recommending bailing ship on every activity that doesn’t fit smoothly with a goal of yours, but if you begin consciously aligning your activities with your desired goals, you will not only recognize a transformation in your schedule, you will also see dramatic results.
Like a spooky creak in the attic, once you identify the source, you will no longer be frozen in fear, and will begin to see procrastination for what it really is … simply an unfounded fear. Whether it’s the fear of failure or the lack of significance, don’t let procrastination hold you down. Write it down and break it down, set goals and learn to say no, and see your desires develop before your eyes.
Tags: accomplishment, beliefs, goals, personal development, procrastination, productivity
As a relative newcomer to the blogging world, I’ve quickly realized there’s some seriously inspiring and mind-blowing stuff out there. I have already discovered so many unique, creative, and intelligent writers in the field of personal development, and I know I’ve just scratched the surface. In fact, there is an UNLIMITED AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE available.
“Scientiae pars est quaedam nescire.” - Erasmus
(Not to know certain things is a part of knowledge)
Erasmus, the mighty scholar and theologian, may have been on to something … is it possible that “not to know certain things is a part of knowledge”? Is there a point where we must no longer perpetually dissect our emotions, decisions, and levels of consciousness, and instead accept that “not knowing” is sometimes knowledge enough?
I believe personal growth is not only about ascending to more ethereal realms of consciousness, but it’s also about pursuing more elementary foundational truths. I know, elementary just doesn’t sound sexy, but it’s true. A blog title like “143,029 Simple Ways to Instantly Manifest a Life of Productivity & Wealth” may be enticing, but does it have staying power?
“Give the mind two seconds alone and it thinks it’s Pythagoras.” - Mystic & Poet, Annie Dillard
So many people share their thoughts like a “water faucet” … you know, just turn it on and stuff starts pouring out. Do you know anyone like that? The Sunday afternoon armchair quarterback? The Monday morning co-worker that always knows what management “should be doing”?
I have found myself in this “faucet” mentality while writing. For some reason, I impose upon myself an internal pressure comparing my thoughts and posts to surrounding writers, and in competitive form, I cannot accept that sometimes I just don’t know. I find myself cramming down more knowledge (the faster the better), bearing down, and ultimately regurgitating the information I’ve consumed as if I’m an expert. Twist the faucet, knowledge pours out.
I now challenge myself to treat my thoughts less like a “faucet” and more like a “furnace”. True wisdom more often than not follows care, intentionality, and patience. Wisdom, like a furnace, takes many logs to get the fire smoldering, but once a foundation of coals has formed, heat … truth … remains. And THEN when the furnace is opened, it can be dispersed freely and abundantly.
So next time you believe you’ve got it all figured out, don’t just turn on the “faucet”. Your discipline and self-resolve may leave you saying, “I DON’T KNOW”, but be patient, seek fundamental truths, allow your thoughts to form, and then out of that discernment, let your “furnace” burn.
Tags: ideas, knowledge, personal development, productivity, wisdom
