How To Overcome Procrastination-Part 1
Procrastination is one of the biggest problems that every one faces at some time in their life. I don’t think I’ve ever known someone who hasn’t procrastinated on anything. Procrastination can be one difficult force to overcome because we have developed the habit of procrastinating. We are all directly where we are in life right now because of how habits that we do day in and day out. Someone says that ‘your habit predicts your future’ and that is so true.
So how do I destroy one of the most destructive habits around which is called procrastination?
Firstly we need to identify what are the main things we are procrastinating on. Get a pen and paper and list the things that you are procrastinating on. E.g. a report, studying for an important exam, it might be seeing a doctor, starting a membership in a gym etc.
Now ask yourself why I am procrastinating on these things. Write down your answer to that question also. Some possible answers may be that you would rather watch TV than study for an exam or you do not think you could make the commitment to go to a gym regularly etc.
Now let’s fast forward your life to 5 years in the future. Imagine if you made that commitment to go to gym regularly from now on, what your life would be like then. Just imagine the health you would now have, how great your body looks, the energy you now have to do things you didn’t have the time to do because of lack of energy. Imagine walking down the streets and those girls or guys are checking you out. Just write down all of the things that the future would look like if you did what needed to be done. Write it down until you can actually feel these things. Don’t you see how much better your life would be?
Another way to do this is to think of what could happen if you continue to put these things off. Imagine if you don’t decide to go to gym and get your weight or health in order what could happen. You could be facing an early death, probably missing your children’s wedding ceremony, probably not being there to support your wife when she needs you badly. Imagine if you fail that exam and it keeps you back for an entire year in high school so that you can’t go to college. Do you see how painful these things can be when we procrastinate on them? Tony Robbins says that everything we do is either to avoid pain or gain pleasure and that is so true. Let us try our best to avoid pain, and the pain I am talking about is the pain of regret.
The truth is, the reason we procrastinate is because we are focusing on what we don’t like instead of focusing on what the end result will be if we do get the correct things done. We are focusing on the process instead of the ‘prize’. When we focus on the prize we get the motivation to do what we want to do. Stop focusing on the process and start focusing on the ‘prize’ and you will overcome your procrastination.
This is the end of part 1. In part 2 I will share some simple steps you can take to get from where you are to where you want to be in spite of that bad habit called procrastination. I hope you enjoyed this article. Look forward to part 2 coming soon.
So how do I destroy one of the most destructive habits around which is called procrastination?
Firstly we need to identify what are the main things we are procrastinating on. Get a pen and paper and list the things that you are procrastinating on. E.g. a report, studying for an important exam, it might be seeing a doctor, starting a membership in a gym etc.
Now ask yourself why I am procrastinating on these things. Write down your answer to that question also. Some possible answers may be that you would rather watch TV than study for an exam or you do not think you could make the commitment to go to a gym regularly etc.
Now let’s fast forward your life to 5 years in the future. Imagine if you made that commitment to go to gym regularly from now on, what your life would be like then. Just imagine the health you would now have, how great your body looks, the energy you now have to do things you didn’t have the time to do because of lack of energy. Imagine walking down the streets and those girls or guys are checking you out. Just write down all of the things that the future would look like if you did what needed to be done. Write it down until you can actually feel these things. Don’t you see how much better your life would be?
Another way to do this is to think of what could happen if you continue to put these things off. Imagine if you don’t decide to go to gym and get your weight or health in order what could happen. You could be facing an early death, probably missing your children’s wedding ceremony, probably not being there to support your wife when she needs you badly. Imagine if you fail that exam and it keeps you back for an entire year in high school so that you can’t go to college. Do you see how painful these things can be when we procrastinate on them? Tony Robbins says that everything we do is either to avoid pain or gain pleasure and that is so true. Let us try our best to avoid pain, and the pain I am talking about is the pain of regret.
The truth is, the reason we procrastinate is because we are focusing on what we don’t like instead of focusing on what the end result will be if we do get the correct things done. We are focusing on the process instead of the ‘prize’. When we focus on the prize we get the motivation to do what we want to do. Stop focusing on the process and start focusing on the ‘prize’ and you will overcome your procrastination.
This is the end of part 1. In part 2 I will share some simple steps you can take to get from where you are to where you want to be in spite of that bad habit called procrastination. I hope you enjoyed this article. Look forward to part 2 coming soon.