How To Effectively Eliminate Your Procrastination

How To Effectively Eliminate Your Procrastination - Familyvision Column by Daryl D Green

Tammy Loss is the world's biggest procrastinator. She makes promises to everyone but lacks the personal fortitude to see anything through. Her employer offers Ms. Loss a new career opportunity. Ms. Loss responds, "I just can't leave. My boss needs me." Ms. Loss always hesitates to make any decisions. She never takes any risks. Sadly, she never fulfills her personal goals. She's disgusted with her life. She's disgusted with herself. Ms. Loss wants more. As she waits to talk with a psychiatrist, Pam wonders why she can't be happy.

The Unproductive Climate

What are you waiting for now? Why aren't you pursuing your dreams? You sit around complaining about your unhappy life. That's your procrastinating ways. You don't want to make a change because you feel you may make a mistake. It causes you to cheat yourself out of happiness. At some point, we have all procrastinated, not wanting to move on an action. You say, "Now is not the right time." You take no action.

People have different motivations for taking action. Taking action means taking risk. Taking risk may cause you fear. This process creates self-doubt. Self-limiting beliefs are doubts that you create about your abilities. They cause you to feel inferior. You feel like you don't deserve the best. You allow others to set your expectations. When you think like this, there is no way to win. You create negative ideas that you aren't smart enough, pretty enough, talented enough, connected enough, creative enough, or powerful enough. "I can't" becomes your motto.

The Impending Landslide

Armed with these beliefs, you wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, until--life passes you by. The more you repeat these self-limiting thoughts, the more you become trapped in your ways. Remember the definition of insanity: "doing the same thing that you always do and expecting something different to happen." That's a crazy way for anyone to live. Some people get caught up in this vicious circle.

For example, look at the vicious cycle of New Year's resolutions. Are you one of these procrastinators? Most people want to accomplish something in life. A new year could spark a new beginning; however, it gives most people time to make excuses for unfulfilled dreams. Doesn't this sound like a little bit of procrastination?

Stop generating self-doubt. Take action. Samuel Johnson said almost two centuries ago, "When a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, he concentrates his mind wonderfully." You need to wake up. Procrastinators try to put off until tomorrow what they should do today. However, you can change and move in a new direction. Use the following steps to move toward action:

Identify where the task is in terms of your priorities. Create a motivation for taking action. Develop a plan for seeing your task through. Set a deadline for completion. Break the activity down into smaller components. Reward yourself after each task.

A Happy Ending

Success begins when you take charge of your life. Don't wait any longer. Tomorrow is not promised to you. Now is the time for action. All it takes is a little act of courage on your part. Stand tall and have faith. "But my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

We need to stop waiting and move. One speaker said, "There's a fork at the end of the road. What do you do? Take one." You have now approached the busy highway of life. What are you going to do? Don't worry about making mistakes. Don't worry about failing. That's a part of life. Get help when you need it. Don't fall into the same trap of thinking you can do it all by yourself. You don't have to cheat yourself. Take action today on your dreams.
About the Author

Daryl and Estraletta Green, decision-making coaches, have been quoted in USA Today, AP, and Ebony Magazine. FamilyVision is a dynamic column that explores the changing family dynamics in the 21st century. For one free session ($50), you can email them at http://www.darylandestraletta.com.
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Eliminate Procrastination Now - Here's How! Discover the winning Strategies That You Can Use immediately to Eliminate Procrastination and Indecision from your life.